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2014-08-17 Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Christians in Lebanon Take Precautionary Measures, Fear Expansion of ISIL
[AnNahar] Following the latest incidents in the northeastern border town of Arsal, fears that they could be the next target for the terrorist ISIL organization compelled the Christians in Leb to take precautionary protective measures, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday.
Unless they are prepared to meet violence with considerably greater violence, all their precautions will just tell them when it's too late to do anything about it.
The latest developments in Iraq where hundreds of thousands of Christians and Yazidis have been displaced, aggravated fears that the the Christian community in Leb would face the same fate.

More than one million and 154,000 Syrian refugees currently live in Leb, and are a source of fear for Christians who are a minority compared to the number of Shiites and Sunnis.

The above compelled the municipalities in different Lebanese regions to take precautionary measures and monitor the movement of refugees, in a bid to stop any similar incidents to those that erupted in Arsal.

Arsal, whose residents have been broadly supportive of the rebellion against Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs...
, is currently playing host to 47,000 Syrian refugees.

Many of them sought refuge there after Syrian government troops ousted rebels from the Qalamun region over the border.

From August 2 to 6, Arsal was the scene of fierce festivities between army troops and jihadists who came over from Syria.

The Lebanese Army, security forces and the municipal police upped security measures on Friday around houses of worship as the Christian community marked the Assumption of Virgin Mary Day.

Christian areas, like other Lebanese regions host hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees most of whom live in popular residential areas that have been raided lately by security forces in search of wanted individuals.

According to head of the Dekwaneh municipality Antoine Shakhtura, where the majority are Christians, "around 10,000 Syrian refugees living in the area have filled paper forms in the framework of organizing the Syrian presence," a move initiated by the municipality and criticized later by media.

Furthermore, several christian villages on the north borders of the country tasked the youths with watching the entrances, major roads and even the valleys of the area which may constitute a point of attraction to terrorist.

The main Christian parties, in particular the Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
led by MP Michel Aoun
...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
, Lebanese Forces
A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb...
led by Samir Geagea
... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ...
, Kataeb Party led by former President Amin Gemayel and the Marada Movement
the personal militia of Suleiman Franjieh, president of Lebanon at the outbreak of the civil war, currently Syrian toadies, but you never know when that could change...
led by MP Suleiman Franjieh, are following up closely on the matter.

Unlike all other christian leaders, Geagea appeased the Lebanese in an interview on Friday saying that the the ISIL is a "big lie" that will disappear as fast as it grew.

"The ISIL is not an existential danger in Leb or the Middle East. What changed the equation in Iraq is the fragmented political situation that led to the creation of the ISIL. While in Leb, there is a state that exists and an army that contained the Arsal incidents with its capabilities."
Posted by trailing wife 2014-08-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [12 views ]  Top
 File under: Islamic State 

#1 Time to beg the detested Jew for protection?
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2014-08-17 05:16||   2014-08-17 05:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Ehud Barak isn't prime minister, so it should be safe.
Posted by Pappy 2014-08-17 18:49||   2014-08-17 18:49|| Front Page Top

#3 Maronites had their chance - handed to them on silver platter in 1982 - and one car bomb blew up their best hope. Care for the Christians and peace could have been had 32 years ago...their was even serious talk of a peace treaty with Israel.
Posted by borgboy 2014-08-17 19:01||   2014-08-17 19:01|| Front Page Top

#4 Phalangist resurgence?
Posted by OldSpook 2014-08-17 20:02||   2014-08-17 20:02|| Front Page Top

#5 Kataebb has historically been anti-Hezbollah and anti-Paleostinian
Posted by OldSpook 2014-08-17 20:08||   2014-08-17 20:08|| Front Page Top

01:42 DarthVader
01:11 Angealing+B.+Hayes4677
00:59 Angealing+B.+Hayes4677
00:48 trailing wife
00:44 Elmaper+McGurque1612
00:36 Elmaper+McGurque1612
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