While travelling through south Lebanon late last week, I was afforded a rare opportunity to visit the historic, Lebanese border village of Ayta ash-Shab.
The village lies one kilometre from the Lebanon-Israel border. On a hill overlooking the village, we could see an Israeli military base.
In the current war (as in prior wars), Ayta ash-Shab has been devastated by Israel’s bombardments.
In the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon’s Islamic Resistance, Israel sent five brigades to attack and occupy Ayta ash-Shab. Those forces were opposed by little more than half a company of Islamic Resistance fighters.
Despite the Israeli military’s overwhelming numerical superiority and air-power, and despite repeated assaults made over 33 days, Israeli forces failed to take the village and suffered severe casualties.
Before giving up, however, Israel’s military inflicted catastrophic damage on the village.
As a result of the dire and dangerous conditions prevailing in the village today, Ayta ash-Shab was evacuated months ago.
On August 23, 2024, hundreds of villagers returned briefly to the village to attend the funeral of a resistance fighter who was killed on the prior day by an Israeli airstrike, and who comes from Ayta ash-Shab.
Along with my Lebanese guide, Hadi Hoteit, I followed the funeral convoy into the village in a vehicle. We were able to survey the damage and observe the funeral. Hadi and I managed to remain in the village for approximately three hours.
While we were there, villagers treated us with remarkable hospitality. Despite their suffering, their spirits seemed high.
My full report is posted below:
These are lebanese villages, right? NOt Palestinian refugee camps?
Correct