Lebanese Bloggers Not Happy With Kuntar Celebrations

Psst…If you think all Lebanese are drooling and clapping over Mr. Kuntar’s release, think again.

Many Lebanese bloggers are clearly not amused by what they see as a disingenuous posturing by politicians pretending to enjoy today’s “national celebrations”

Over at ouwet.com , N10452 writes:

I cannot believe we are cheering for an animal that is being freed from Israeli prisons …We are cheering for a man who killed a 4 year old baby after killing her father in front of her ..You tell me he was retaliating ?? By killing innocent children & civilians you retaliate ?? Or even worse, some people tell me 2 kills is ok compared to the atrocities Israel committed over the years. ..As if it makes any difference if you kill one or 20 !! Killing is killing & KILLING IS WRONG !! Shame on our people … shame shame shame !!

MS Levantine saw her cynicism tested:

I consider myself a Teflon Lebanese: nothing in my country really
surprises me. I am cynical enough to always expect the worse, and I am
never disappointed. Still, I am perplexed by the festivities organized
for the return of Mr. Qantar. The man is a child killer.

Charles at LPJ concurs:

Qantar killed Israeli government personnel and civilians during a raid
in the middle of a war. However, he also killed a four year old girl by
smashing a rock into her head. There is no excuse on Earth to justify
that action, and there is no way that I can ever say that this man is a
hero. Any man willing to smash in the head of a 4 year old child with a
rock should remain in prison for the rest of his life. My disgust has no words… My tears…

And Lebanon Foreign Policy blog rhymes along:

To receive Samir Kuntar with the red carpet is [or should be] a major
embarrassment for Lebanon. In spite of the political calculations,
Kuntar’s most “heroic” gesture was to murder in cold blood a four years
old girl. Oh wait. He did kill Einat’s dad before smashing her skull.

And bloggers are not alone; A quick look at the dozens of denouncing comments in one of my previous posts, and you get the general pulse of the disgusted class. 

In short, many Lebanese, just like many foreigners just don’t “get” what there is to celebrate..