Lebanon: Living on the Blue Line | Al Jazeera World documentary

I was tending the goats with my brother, sister and cousin," says Mohammed Abedelaal, the son of a southern Lebanese farmer. "They crossed first, but it exploded when I did. I stepped on a cluster bomb. I lost this leg. And this leg was..."
Mohammed and thousands like him are victims of the tension between Lebanon and Israel that has often made the border area a battleground of invasion, occupation and territorial disputes.
When Israel pulled out of southern Lebanon in May 2000, the United Nations created the "Blue Line", or "Line of Withdrawal", to establish that Israel had withdrawn fully from Lebanese territory. As with many artificial borders between countries, the Line not only cuts through some Lebanese villages, it also created areas that have become hotly disputed between the two countries.
One such area is the Shebaa Farms, a slice of land at the eastern end of the Blue Line near the Golan Heights, themselves occupied by Israel since 1967. Lebanon lays claim to the Shebaa Farms, but the UN ruled that they belong to Syria, and Israel says it will only withdraw from the area through future negotiation with Syria.
The Shebaa Farms story goes back to the 1967 war when Israel invaded the West Bank, Sinai and the Golan Heights, including the Farms. A decade later, Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 1978 and again in 1982 to combat Palestinian presence there.
When the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) left Beirut for Tunisia after the 1982 invasion, Israel retreated - but remained in the south through its proxy, the South Lebanon Army.
Israel's withdrawal in 2000 did not include pulling out of the Shebaa Farms, to the anger of Lebanese MP Qassim Hashim who accuses Israel of frequent violations of the Blue Line.
"The Israeli enemy flagrantly breached the gate of Abbasiyeh in the occupied area," says Hashim. "They advanced and erected barbed wire in this area … Since 2000, this enemy has always been trying to create a new reality," he said.
"Their aim is to occupy more land. One way or another. We decided, with the people of Abbasiyeh, El Wazzani and the Arkoub villages with our strong will, and by our hands, to remove this fence ourselves since the United Nations didn't respond to our demands."
The Shebaa Farms are one of the disputed areas along the Blue Line, claimed by both Israel and Lebanon. [Reuters/Alistair Lyon]
The Abbasiyeh Gate protest led to a tense stand-off involving the Lebanese military, UNIFIL peacekeepers and Israeli soldiers behind the fence. Eventually, all sides backed off.
The Blue Line is patrolled by UNIFIL - a so-called 'interim' peace-keeping force that has been there since 1978 - but this has not stopped what Hashim alleges is Israeli encroachment onto Lebanese land, like the re-occupation of the northern half of the village of Ghajar, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
In 2006, a full-scale war broke out between Israel and the Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah. Around 1,200 Lebanese were killed, mainly civilians, as were some 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. The 33-day war ended inconclusively but left a lasting legacy. Towns and villages were devastated, local infrastructure damaged and communities, families and relationships badly fractured.
As part of the reconstruction effort, some Lebanese expats and local residents began a concerted effort to build sizable properties, as a way of imposing their presence on the border area.
"Those without weapons saw reconstruction as a form of resistance," explains Mohammed Alsayed, owner of a house near the border with Israel. "The reconstruction started after the July [2006] war. After the destruction, you'd think people would build small houses with just a room, kitchen and a bathroom."
Instead, they've built ostentatious homes; and with the help of investors, economic development has begun along the Blue Line.
"Tourism in a place of danger means defiance and resistance," according to Zahra Abdallah, owner of El Wazzani Tourist Village, a project designed to promote the area as well as create jobs.
"At the same time, it means love for life and freedom. It means peaceful resistance. We wanted to fulfil the dream of our family…We want to use the last grain of sand in our land. This is our right," says Abdallah.
This regional border tension shows no sign of abating; in fact, in December 2017, it increased when Israel announced it planned to build a wall along the whole of the Blue Line.
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#AlJazeeraWorld #Documentary #lebanon

[@lifeisastruggle5517]

nobody can brake the lebanese pride. God Bless Lebanon

[@yasuobroa6044]

God bless Lebanon

[@HIELOKING]

wow!!!

[@MrB1923]

Hezbollah gave Isreal a kicking in Lebanon.

[@cleanwaternasenyiuganda8124]

MrB1923 Neither side won anything for their people. Its time to put the weapons down ✌❤

[@jothetaxi2984]

clearly it was the other way around ..review your statement

[@titob.yotokojr.9337]

And three years later it is obvious Lebanon is the ultimate loser because the whole country is now collapsing in poverty. On the other hand Israel is progressing and getting richer with its people living comfortable lives.

[@lutfarrahman6752]

@@titob.yotokojr.9337 Israel is not a country.It's a project.A military outpost of so called West.Until the west feed them they will be never poor.

[@wycliffeodundo7990]

I cry for palestine and southern lebanon.

[@cleanwaternasenyiuganda8124]

War gave nothing to the people of either side. Put down the weapons & enjoy life! ✌❤

[@WorldCelebrityFiles]

Dangerous Operation. Some People Is Die this Operation

[@PolMcCartney]

Also the claim at 34:50 that Al-Wazzani border point is 90 km from each Beirut, Jerusalem, Damascus and Jordan (?)... This is such misinformation. This place is more like 70 kms from Beirut and Damascus and 170 kms from Jerusalem... Not to mention Jordan which is about 60 kms away

[@titob.yotokojr.9337]

Lebanon is a beautiful country but it is now a failed state. Its economy is in shambles and the country will soon disappear unless a major change happens. The State of Lebanon will disappear and in its place the State of Hezbollah will arise. Then instability will worsen.

[@PolMcCartney]

At 24:32 and 25:34 the worker says "jews" not "israelis". Interesting that Qatar's private media outlet tends to "misinterpret" certain racist slurs that come from one certain side...

[@briannec2016]

"Jews" is a slur?

[@afrosheistanatlantanews9148]

K

[@seancurran8249]

When will Israel be left to live in peace, all wars will end surely , 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@sabermouad9750]

????

[@farozara5194]

“Behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen calamities. Though the world is encompassed with misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that may be. Whenever the True Counselor uttered a word in admonishment, lo, they all denounced Him as a mover of mischief and rejected His claim. How bewildering, how confusing is such behavior! No two men can be found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences of discord and malice are apparent everywhere, though all were made for harmony and union. The Great Being saith: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. We cherish the hope that the light of justice may shine upon the world and sanctify it from tyranny. If the rulers and kings of the earth, the symbols of the power of God, exalted be His glory, arise and resolve to dedicate themselves to whatever will promote the highest interests of the whole of humanity, the reign of justice will assuredly be established amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of its light will envelop the whole earth. The Great Being saith: The structure of world stability and order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be sustained by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment.... In another passage He hath written: Take heed, O concourse of the rulers of the world! There is no force on earth that can equal in its conquering power the force of justice and wisdom.... Blessed is the king who marcheth with the ensign of wisdom unfurled before him, and the battalions of justice massed in his rear. He verily is the ornament that adorneth the brow of peace and the countenance of security. There can be no doubt whatever that if the day star of justice, which the clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to shed its light upon men, the face of the earth would be completely transformed.” [Baha’u’llah (The promised one, Mahdi)), Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 217]

[@Delatta1961]

Pure propaganda, this is very one sided. If the truth was told, you wouldn’t have the supporters. I was with the MFO and witnessed the truth

[@EternallyGod]

Christianity is the answer to the problem, both sides need to give up these false gods.

[@dr.dj...]

Jesus (pbuh)is the servant and messenger of allah (swt) So please accept islam the religion which jesus(pbuh) followed Jesus is nothing but loving servant of allah.

[@EternallyGod]

Allah is nothing, but a fake god. Lego is more real then Allah.

[@dr.dj...]

Kirk Wilson Jesus is servant of allah 😂😂😂

[@dr.dj...]

Kirk Wilson Go Check your facts He never said he is god worship me He always told to worship allah Word allah is only word Which was also said by christian in arabian peninsula in the past The allah is one and only one The one who doesn't have any children nor he has any parents He was from the begining he would be at the end He cannot be compared to anybody Everybody depends on him but he is not dependent on anyone Allah send messengers so that they can deliver the message of allah only idiots started worshiping messengers of allah If you have any problem then read quran If you are againts it then try to know what we follow

[@derrickshen5650]

Religion is not the issue you thicko

[@deb6466]

Long live Israil 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍❤️‍👨

[@deb6466]

I Support Israil.India and israil is best friend.🇮🇱🇳🇪😍😍💏💏💏