From: eliedw@hedda.uio.no (Elie Dib Wardini)
Subject: Re: Representatives on Lebanon
Organization: UiO
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 16:32:56 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.222212.27089@trl.oz.au> faris@sarcasm.trl.OZ.AU (Aziz
Faris) writes:

>Elie, Ugarit is a Pheonician city as evidenced by the discovery of many
tablets
>that shows the Pheonician religious practices, literature, and discovery of
>the first use of the Alphabets. The Pheonicians of Ugarit had included some
>elements of Canaanite culture and religious practices in their culture.

Aziz the name Phoenician is a Greek invention. Not native! Yes the inhabitants
of Ugarit had a cannanite religion. Whether their language on the other hand is
canaanite is a controversial issue (actually veruy controvertial!) Some do say
it is canaanite and I sort of agree.

>I do not know where the name Syria came from and I personally do not care.
>The point is that we have the same culture and we are the same people, and
throughout hsitory we did not have these problems of personality fashions.

Here Aziz, I feel that you take muc for granted and that you have soe circular
argumentation:

eg. we have te same culture
    we are the same people

two controversial issues, and many terms to define.

I don't understand what you mean with personality fashions, but if you meant
that Lebanese/Canaanites/Phoenicians considered themselves as one people with
the Arameans and Israelites etc. I would contend that you are wrong, plus we
know very little of what these people feelt and how they identified themselves.
Some say that the inhabiatnts of Ugarit did not consider themselves as
Canaanite (I will find you the source).

>The land that comprises Syria, Lebanon, and Plaestine was the Land of Canaan.

Very Wrong! sorry. Canaanie comprise Israel and Lebanon. Damascus was never
considered as part of Canaan, but the capital of Aram.

>The Canaanites seem to be the original inhabitants of that area as evidenced
>by the tablets of Ebla. Infact, one tablet referred to Lebanon as named by
>the Canaanites "Labunum". The Pheonicians have supposedly come from near
Bahrain
>or Qatar and lived very peacefully with the Canaanites and were integrated
with
>them later on as evidenced at Ugarit.

The term Phoenician is Greek. No eveidence f it in Ugarit. That the Canaanites
who (contrary to the ISraelites) who lived in Lebanon (from Akko to Arwad) and
called Pheonicians by the Greeks came from the Persian Gulf is based on two or
three passages from Herodotus. Whether this is in fact true, is again open to
much discussion.

>
>Also the kingdom of Byblos which is located near Tripoli included a large 
>territory that is located in Syria. 

Which Syria? the Syria of your definition? or Syria = Aram? beware of circular
argumentation.

>I have read some Egyptian texts dealing
>with trade between Pheonicia and they refer to the region of Syria. this dates
>to the kigdoms of Sidon, Tyre, and Byblos.

Can you tell me which Egyptian texts? I am not aware of the name Syria beng
used in Egyptian texts. But if you are reading translations, learn that the
word Aram (and sometimes areas outside of Aram, as Lebanon for example) are
termed Syria by the translators (English) and the term does not occur in the
original. eg. every occurence of the term Syria in the english Bible is
translated from the wrod Aram.


>To address your merger point, I am not and really no one I know is calling for
>the merger of Lebanon into Syria. This merger is the latest Israeli propaganda
>weapon to keep Syria and Lebanon in choas and prevent the people from
addressing
>the real issues. Assad is not Saddam to piss at the world and call Lebanon
>province number 14. The real issue here is that Israel is stealing the waters
>of Lebanon and occupying Southern Syria and Southern Lebanon and are about
>to piss at both countries and stop the peace process. As long as the Lebanese
>people are focusing on Syria and ignoring Israel, the Israeli will continue
>to undermind both of our countries and keep us fighting one another.

Aziz, Jesus once said: from their fruits you will know them!

It is Hafez al Assad who at every occassion says that Lebanon is part of Syria
(note one of Boudi's favorite quotes!  Kiifak Boudi?).

It is Hafez al-Assad who refuses to withdraw from Lebanon, it is Hafez al-Assad
who interferes in every single thing in Lebanese internal or external affairs.

Israeli propaganda, tell how do they get te man to act occordingly!

>A.Faris
>

elie wardini
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon