From: rayes@Goat.mcs.kent.edu (Sandra Rayes)
Subject: Re: Are Lebanese considered ARABS (J. LAWEN a PALESTINIAN)
Organization: Kent State University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 06:51:24 GMT

In article <1iqpagINNnik@life.ai.mit.edu> steel@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu (JLE) writes:
>In article <1993Jan10.213438.10060@ac.dal.ca> bibr0027@ac.dal.ca writes:

[some back and forth deleted...]
>
>Let me give you a little info you may not be familiar with.
>In May 1948 , the president of Lebanon, Bshara Alkhouri, gave
>Lebanese Citizenships to all Christian Palestinians on the spot.
>The ones that are in refugee camps and not there by choice.  The
>Lebanese Law does not grant them hardly any rights.   It is written
>in the Lebanese law that a Palestinian may not drive a pickup truck,
>nor he may work as an Engineer, nor he may own a house.
>
>My neighbours are Palestinains, renting in Tripoli,  they wanted
>to buy a pick up truck to operate their business that is run
>in the refugee camps, they had to put the truck in some Lebanese woman's
>name in order to be able to make a living.
>
As a westerner, listening to this back and forth between ARAB brothers
only makes me think 'Boy, those French colonists sure did an outstanding
job dividing a nation amongst itself'.  I know some Christian Lebanese
who prefer to call themselves "Phoenicians", rather than Arabs and this
makes me, a non-Arab, sick at heart to see the residual effects of
Western colonialsim still alive and well today.  Fact is, the Lebanese,
regardless of religion, are Arabs and therefore have a rich history,
language and culture which is inspiring.  So what the hell is your
problem, Br. LAWEN????

An old book written by Peter Mansfield puts the Lebanese problem of
inter-Arab division this way:

	"It [Lebanon] is a nation with a double nature; Arab and
	Lebanese.  Some of its people are more drawn to one side or 
	the other but experience has shown that if Lebanon is to
	continue to exist they cannot afford to be exclusive in
	their loyalties."


>
>>Arab Legue (and other wealthy Arab nations), have enough money
>
>Screw the arab league.  What do they care about?  If the cared,
>they would not have left our Lebanon burn for 16 years.

Here, here.  The Arab League is an utterly useless entity and the
'other wealthy Arab nations' are led by jellyfish concerned only
with sitting on their miserable thrones.  
>
>Well it is nice of you to be so caring about our country, but you
>shouldn't throw flames at people that live in Lebanon and born there,
>and love Lebanon as well.  When Israel invaded Lebanon, it was
>the Palestinians along with Hizbuallah and Almurabiton that gave 
>their souls to defend it.   I agree, PLO's leadership stink, but 
>they faught to survive and liberate their home land.

Yes, and this while Christian Phalangists supported by many of those 
"Phoenicians" were conspiring with the Israeli military to murder
and expel Arabs and weaken the Muslims in Lebanon.

>
>>"Hammdallah ghal al-salammeee"
>"Hammdallah al-salammeee"
>
>
>>Who the hell are you mr. jle to say that these people are more Lebanese
>>than I am.  You have the nerve....HA (What does your initials stand for?)
>
>They stand for John Elghani.

Make that Brother Yahya Al-Ghani min Tarabulus!

>
>>Most of them do not want to be Lebanese.  They are the Palestinians,
>>and want to be Palestinians, and NOT Lebanese.  It is not up to me
>
>They love being Lebanese as well as Palestinians.  As long as
>they are struggling to Liberate Palestine, they are Lebanese, Syrians,
>Jordanians, they are our people and we cannot let DOGS eat their flesh.
>
Let them BARK, brother...ALADHINA YASUDDUNA 'AN SABILILLAHI WA YAB'GHUNAHA
'IUWAJAN WA HUWA BILAKHIRATI KAAFIRUN... wa Allahu Akbar.
>
>
>jle

Sandra.

Xref: sparky talk.politics.mideast:25255 talk.politics.soviet:10408 soc.culture.greek:12188 soc.culture.europe:11162 soc.history:10686 soc.culture.turkish:14186