Lebanese PM: "Are we Children of a lesser God"

[Nimrod2005]

by Stephen Collinson

ROME, July 26, 2006 (AFP) - A despairing Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora asked whether war-cursed Lebanese were "children of a lesser God," after leaving crucial talks without an endorsement for an immediate ceasefire.

Earlier, in the closed-doors meeting of the international conference on the Lebanon crisis, Siniora asked "what future other than one of fear, frustration, financial ruin and fanaticism can stem from the rubble?" "Is the value of human life less than in Lebanon than that of citizens elsewhere? Are we children of a lesser God? Is an Israeli teardrop worth more than a drop of Lebanese blood?" "Can the international community continue to stand by while such callous retribution by the state of Israel is inflicted upon us?" "Is this what is called legitimate self-defence?"

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stood quietly beside him, as Siniora launched into a tirade against Israel, and delivered a moving elegy to the Lebanese he said were dying every day.

"We are being pounded day by day, and scores of people are dying every day," Siniora said, from a raised stage in a sweltering conference room packed with journalists at the Italian foreign ministry.

"The country is really being cut to pieces .... to bring the country to its knees and that is what's happening," Siniora said.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=74269

[Bluerthanblue]

1. sadly profound, and moving-

even if it hurts to hear it.

[Marie26]

2. I feel so sorry for him.

He looks so haunted and heartbroken.