ADC PRESS RELEASE
Arab Americans Denounce Israeli Terrorism in Lebanon
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) denounces the
murders of a Lebanese mother, Mrs. Othman, and her six children by Israel
on Dec. 22 at 2:40 pm. This is only the latest in a series of terrorist attacks by Israel in southern Lebanon, which Israel has been occupying for the past 20 years.
This latest atrocity, like the Qana, Nabatiyeh, Al-Mansouri and Sahmar Massacres before it, has been described by the Israeli authorities as “a mistake.” ADC joins the Lebanese people and government in denouncing this “explanation,” because the systematic targeting and repeated massacres of Lebanese civilians by Israel makes their policy of terrorism crystal clear.
In 1978, UN Security Council Resolution 425 called ” upon Israel immediately to cease its military action against Lebanese territorial integrity and withdraw forthwith its forces from all Lebanese territory.” For 20 years there has been no compliance by Israel whatsoever. ADC President Hala Maksoud observes that “Where other UN security council resolutions have been enforced by war, sanctions, bombings and embargos, Israel’s obligations under Resolution 425 have been ignored with impunity.” Israel is, in truth, the Middle Eastern nation which practices state terrorism, has invaded and occupied its neighbors, poses a military threat to the region and hoards a vast arsenal of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
The repeated Israeli aggressions in Lebanon, most notably in 1982, 1993,
and 1996 killed tens of thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of
Lebanese civilians. The infamous Qana Massacre in 1996, where Israel
massacred over one hundred Lebanese civilians in a UN military observation
camp, symbolizes Israel’s systematic targeting of civilians. This year alone, Israel has launched over one hundred air-raids on Lebanon, killing and injuring numerous civilians.
Lebanon has rightly demanded that the UN Security Council takes immediate
steps to implement UNSCR 425, remove the Israeli occupiers from southern
Lebanon and prevent future massacres of innocent Lebanese civilians by Israeli terrorists. ADC expects that the United States government will not again protect Israel from Security Council action for its recent massacre, as it has so often in the past. Opposition to terrorism and murder must be universal, including when the victims are Arabs.Occupation is illegal, including when the occupiers are Israeli.