For Dr. George Diab and his family, their home in the “Tell” area of southern Lebanon was more than just stones; it was a testament to five decades of history. But even these walls were not spared from the Israeli war machine.
The home of the Lebanese-born first deputy mayor of Marne-lès-Compiègne, France, was systematically destroyed, with windows and doors smashed and contents stolen—a scene that has become a daily occurrence in the villages of southern Lebanon.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Diab did not hide his shock at the extent of the damage to his father’s house, stressing that what happened was not an “accidental incident,” but rather part of a broader policy targeting civilian property and disregarding international laws, and that “the theft and vandalism that the town’s houses were subjected to is an unacceptable act; private property must remain free from any field conflict.”
Diab launched a scathing attack on the Israeli army’s practices, asserting that they violate the ethics of any regular army in the world. He described the events as “brutal,” unprecedented in other wars, and clearly stated that “a thief is a thief, even if he wears a military uniform.”
Diab emphasized that he would not remain silent in the face of these events, pledging to pursue the matter through all available diplomatic and legal channels. He called for a transparent international investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the attacks on civilian homes and stressed the urgent need to provide effective protection for civilians and their infrastructure in light of the ongoing aggression.
George Diab’s outcry comes amidst the continued suffering in the border villages, where the war targets not only combatants but also the heritage and history of Lebanese families, attempting to uproot them from their land. Diab affirmed, “We will not relinquish a single grain of its soil.”
