La Solitude du Liban: Excerpts from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora’s emotional speech behind closed doors at the international conference at Rome yesterday: “what future other than one of fear, frustration, financial ruin and fanaticism can stem from the rubble? … Is the value of human life less 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?” Siniora also said that Israel had a right of self-defence after the Hezbollah militia captured two of its soldiers earlier in July, launching the offensive.
