– We live between 2 fires. Israeli bombs on 1 side, and Hezbollah on the another side with his missiles – says the head of the Franciscan monastery in Tyra. Father Toufic Bou Mehri confessed that “the fear is great” and frequently hears the cries of desperate Lebanese who have had adequate and are terrified of the anticipation of escalation of conflict.
Francisnin told about the life of Christians in the town of Deir Mimas. It lies on the river that descends to the valley in which the fighters of Hezbollah hide. The village is 2 kilometres from the Israeli town of Metula and the neighboring Kyriat Shmona, just off the border between Israel and Lebanon.
Between the 2 fires
The town has about 3,000 inhabitants, Christians of various denominations – Latin Catholics, Greek Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant. Half of them utilized to live there all year. Today, due to the war, there are only 180 people left. What can wait for them says the close town of Kfarkela, almost completely leveled to the ground by bombings.
Father Toufic Bou Mehri told the Italian SIR agency that “despite rockets and bombs” at least erstwhile a week commutes to Christians in Deir Mimas. The town separates from Tyre 30 km. For a fistful of believers he celebrates the Sunday Eucharist, providing fresh vegetables and fruit to all those in need. – Thanks to my fellow brothers in the Custody of the Holy Land, we besides aid those who have taken refuge in Beirut due to the war. Needs are huge. – emphasized the Franciscan. He confessed that there was large fear and large uncertainty about the future among humans.
Crosses for Houses Against Evil
– The panorama of Deir Mimas is increasingly marked with smoke poles floating after each bomb blast and rocket launched between the Israeli army and Hezbollah militias – said Father Toufic Bou Mehri. He noted that the crosses, which adorn the houses and fields of the Christians there, are like a defence against evil and an act of entrusting God to the full village. Franciscan said that in erstwhile weeks rockets and bombs were falling into the fields, now shortened the scope of fire and in fresh days fell respective 100 metres from the first houses and a tiny Franciscan monastery. The nun confessed that it was increasingly hard for him to believe in the success of the negotiations. "Looking at what is happening around us, we see that so far they are ineffective," he said.
Poisoned fields and olive groves
Whoever could have left these areas and gone to Beirut. Burnt fields don't give you hope for a harvest, much little a safe future. – The poorest and most susceptible people left in the town. However, for respective weeks now we have seen the return of any families who are incapable to support themselves in the capital of Lebanon. It's an crucial decision to choose a dignified death in the village where we were born, not starve in exile. said the monk. He confessed that people had to face another problem. In 2023, the village of Deir Mimas was awarded as the best oil maker in Lebanon. – People live here from agriculture and olive groves, from oil. This year it will be very hard to sale our olives and oil, due to the fact that it seems that phosphorus bombs have been fired from Israel into this area. The goal would be to burn the fields where Hezbollah militias hide said the Franciscan. This means not only expanding poverty, but besides the anticipation of many diseases. The nun added that people surviving on the border between Israel and Lebanon face the same problems as the people of the Gaza Strip, only on a smaller scale.
They just want to live in peace.
In the Cedar Country, over 120,000 Lebanese were displaced from border areas with Israel. – There were practically those who didn't have the money to go somewhere. – said Father Toufic Bou Mehri. Franciscans confessed that the Lebanese are not coping with the immense economical crisis, but besides with the request to keep 2 million Syrian refugees and 500,000 Palestinians. – Everything is missing, even security. People live in constant fear. They shout “enough!” due to the fact that they can no longer bear it said the Franciscan. He noted that the people of confederate Lebanon in peculiar were wondering why they had to pay a bill for the war in Gaza, which nobody wanted. – They just want to live in peace and dignity. They don't ask for anything else. – emphasized the friar from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
Source: KAI
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