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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/features/occupation-pigs-of-south-lebanon">english.almayadeen.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Occupation pigs of south Lebanon</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Tim Anderson</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">February 18, 2025</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Israel's
2024 invasion of South Lebanon caused massive destruction but failed to
capture key towns, and despite a ceasefire, Israeli occupation forces
remain, conducting home demolitions.</p><img src="cid:ii_m7apfqa10" alt="1934821a-be65-4e41-8758-9738d7e610ec.jpg" width="394" height="335"></div><div class="gmail-page"><img src="cid:ii_m7aplncb5" alt="cc2f7aa4-c5c1-40a8-ab03-f669390a2913.jpg" width="394" height="265"><br><br></div><div class="gmail-page"><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
(illustrated by Mahdi Rteil to <strong>Al Mayadeen English, </strong>Photos by Tim Anderson)
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<p>The late 2024 Israeli invasion of South Lebanon did tremendous damage
but failed to capture a single southern town, due to the fierce
resistance from Hezbollah, Amal and Palestinian fighters.</p>
<p>The ceasefire which began on 27 November 2024 ended on 26 January
2025 but was extended to 18 February. Lebanese villagers flocked back to
their homes on 27-27 January, but the Israelis fired on them, killing
24 and injuring 141.</p>
<p>The invading Israelis have kept their troops in parts of the South,
carrying out home demolitions in several areas including on the
outskirts of Yaroun and Kfarkila, all in violation of the ceasefire and
of UN resolution 1701. Israeli leaders now say they plan to remain in
five areas of South Lebanon, despite the ceasefire agreement.</p>
<p>While some Israeli sources claim this ongoing occupation is
authorized by the Trump administration, none of the Lebanese leaders
accept the demand. Several <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/israel-must-stop-killing-civilians-returning-their-homes-south-lebanon-un">UN experts have condemned</a> the killing of civilians and insist the Israelis must withdraw.</p>
<p>The infamous Israeli savagery was on full display in the South as
they shot unarmed civilians trying to return to their homes when,
according to the ceasefire terms, all Israeli troops were meant to have
withdrawn.</p>
<p>That and the useless role of UNIFIL forces, who did nothing to oppose
the Israeli invasion, helps explain the popular anger in demonstrations
outside Beirut airport in mid-February. One UNIFIL car was overturned
and burnt. The Lebanese army tear-gassed protesters the next day.</p>
<p>These rallies came after the Lebanese government blocked the arrival
of a plane from Iran, apparently in obedience to the demands of
Washington which, in typical tyrannical mode, demanded the exclusion of
Hezbollah and its allies from government.</p>
<p>While that move failed, Lebanese people now face the most reactionary
leadership in a very long time. Former army chief Joseph Aoun is now
president and former ICJ judge Nawaf Salam is Prime Minister, according
to the sectarian formula (a Maronite Christian must be president and a
Sunni Muslim must be PM) which has crippled the formation of a genuine
national government for decades. Neither Aoun (no relation to former
President Michel Aoun) nor Salam have shown any sign of defending the
country from US domination or Israeli invasion. Not even Hezbollah has
challenged the sectarian formula, reinforced by the Taif agreements at
the end of the civil war.</p>
<p>But it is only Hezbollah and its allies which protect the country
from collapse into a complete US-Israeli colony. For that reason, there
are still many patriotic Lebanese, probably a large majority, who
support the 'loyalty to the resistance' bloc.</p>
<p>In addition, the ongoing occupation and home demolitions suggest an
Israeli strategy of trying to make the border areas unlivable, as in
Gaza.</p>
<p>We can see a similar aim in the state in which they left houses that
they occupied during the assault on Khiam village. There was wanton
vandalism of one house which senior Israeli officers used as a base
during the failed attempt to take over Khiam, a beautiful village with
views of Mount Hermon (Jabal al Sheikh) and the Syrian Golan. The
Resistance (fighters from Hezbollah, Amal and several Palestinian
factions) made defending Khiam a priority, and around 300 were martyred
there.</p><img src="cid:ii_m7apgm0s1" alt="0cc29444-7805-4b27-a18c-981e7df77d45.jpg" width="394" height="262"><br><ul id="gmail-content-slick-1"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
View from Al-Khiam
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<p>While most houses suffered serious damage, the one used as an Israeli
HQ was left standing, but covered in filth and with serious internal
destruction. The state of the occupied house reflected the character of
the occupiers.</p>
<p>This writer visited Khiam and that house in January and February.
Meal screen doors had been blasted open with explosives and the outside
and inside walls had been sprayed with automatic weapon fire, shattering
walls and windows and shredding children’s clothes.</p><img src="cid:ii_m7aphcwn2" alt="73694aee-365e-419d-89e2-01ae2b656b92.jpg" width="394" height="254"><br><ul id="gmail-content-slick-2"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
A House in Al-Khiam
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<p>Food items including Israeli packaged rations, were strewn all over
the floors and each room had been wrecked in some way. Bathroom fittings
were smashed and bullets fired at the refrigerator. Bullet cartridges,
weapon packages, condoms and women’s sanitary products were all over the
floor, alongside the rotten food. Furniture was damaged or destroyed.</p><img src="cid:ii_m7api0zl3" alt="d2a31360-d428-4152-8ee6-1eeaecc73da7.jpg" width="394" height="258"><br><ul id="gmail-content-slick-3"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
A House in Al-Khiam
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<p>For some reason these Israeli officers did not use the toilets but
rather collected their excrement in plastic bags, which were then dumped
in the washing machine.</p><img src="cid:ii_m7apino84" alt="6c82440d-ae8b-48fb-8a08-bd929d672f9c.jpg" width="394" height="264"><br><p>It is hard to see an objective of this wanton destruction and piggish
behavior as anything other than a message of contempt for the owners,
aimed at discouraging return to a region that they had tried to
colonize. If there is no withdrawal by 18 February it seems likely the
Lebanese resistance will again move to punish and expel the last of
them.</p></div></div></div>
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