"But Israel has continued since then to demolish hundreds of homes and critical civilian infrastructure in what residents see as an effort to not just prevent their return but erase their history. In the village of Hula in southern Lebanon, a monument engraved with the names of almost 100 Lebanese killed here in 1948 just after the creation of the state of Israel lies covered in graffiti and smashed to pieces."
"The black spray paint scrawled next to a Star of David bears the message in Hebrew "the only good Shia is a dead Shia." Retired school teacher Abdul Aziz Chreim doesn't know what the Hebrew writing says, but says he knows the aim. "The Israelis took over this entire village after the ceasefire and they wanted to make the point that 'we are here,'" he says. "They wanted vengeance.""
"The graves included civilians killed in what became known as the Hula massacre, with two Israeli army officers tried in Israel for war crimes. Chreim, 74, finds the names of his grandmother and grandfather among the broken pieces of marble before heading to the ruins of his home. "This is my past that has been wiped out," he says. "My present has been wiped out. My future is lost.""
A ceasefire took effect in November 2024, but Israeli forces continued demolitions of hundreds of homes and critical civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Residents perceive the demolitions as efforts to prevent return and erase local history. In Hula, a monument listing almost 100 Lebanese killed in 1948 was smashed and covered in graffiti, including a Hebrew slogan reading "the only good Shia is a dead Shia." Retired teacher Abdul Aziz Chreim found his grandparents' names among broken marble and described the takeover after the ceasefire as an act of vengeance. The Israeli military said it reviewed the desecration and reinforced procedures.
Read at www.npr.org
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