A ‘selfie’ photo of Miss Israel posing next to Miss Lebanon at a Miss Universe competition has made international news thanks to Miss Lebanon’s sour reaction and that of many of her countrymen. To be fair we didn’t expect HonestReporting to be covering this story. However, the Daily Telegraph has published an article looking at the deeper issues behind the selfie spat.
It includes comment from George Asseily, chairman of the Center for Lebanese Studies who says:
The reason is that Lebanon has accused Israel, and still is, of waging a war against civilians in Lebanon. In 2006 there was lots of destruction and since then there’s been no improvement in the relationship, because Israel still occupies part of the south and they’re refusing to withdraw although this is Lebanese territory.
The Daily Telegraph fails to elaborate on or explain Asseily’s charge, leaving the casual reader to believe that Israel is occupying Lebanese territory.
In fact, this is not the case. As YNet News explains:
Shebaa Farms is a small area of no more than 10 square miles on the border between Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Overlooking the Lebanese Bekaa Valley, this area is located on a mountain some 5,000 feet above sea level. Since the 1967 Six Day War, Israel has been holding this relatively high area, which provides it with certain advantages from the intelligence and strategic points of view. …
Shebaa was recognized by the United Nations in 1974 as part of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. In May 2000, Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon after 18 years. Lebanon’s Hizbullah claimed that the withdrawal was not completed because Shebaa was actually on Lebanese – not Syrian – territory. This claim gave Hizbullah an excuse to continue its fight against the Israeli “occupier.” Interviewed by The Media Line in 2004 on the subject, Ghasan Al-Ezzi, a professor of political science at the Lebanese University in Beirut, said Lebanese citizens indeed lived and worked in the Shebaa Farms, but that did not change the fact that in the eyes of the international community the region was under Syrian sovereignty.
If even the UN recognizes that Israel is no longer occupying Lebanese territory, why can’t the Daily Telegraph make this clear?
UPDATE
The Daily Telegraph has added the following:
Israel occupies the Shebaa Farms region, which is claimed by both Lebanon and Syria.
As far as we are concerned, this is unacceptable and does nothing to clarify or present a legitimate counterpoint to Asseily’s charge. HonestReporting will continue to follow this up.
Featured image: Photo by Doron Matalon/Instagram with modifications by HonestReporting
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