Dear Washington, About that Lebanese bridge…
Greetings, Washington. We at The Piaz couldn't help but notice the rather subdued reaction to Israel's recent airstrikes targeting the Qasmiyeh Bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon. CGTN, among others, reported on Sunday that Israeli warplanes struck the critical infrastructure, a move confirmed by the Israeli military. This wasn't merely a strategic maneuver on an isolated
battlefield; it was a demolition of civilian infrastructure in a sovereign state, violating the very agreements you supposedly champion. We can't help but marvel at the careful framing employed by outlets like Fox News and CNN, which describe these actions as 'Israeli retaliatory strikes' or 'defensive measures.' What they consistently omit is the systematic nature of these attacks. The
destruction of civilian infrastructure, particularly bridges that serve vital transit for goods and people, is a long-standing tactic in Israel's military playbook. Recall the 2006 Lebanon War, where Israel extensively targeted civilian infrastructure, including some 80 bridges and 90 roads, crippling the country's ability to recover. This isn't defense; it's collective punishment. The silence
from your State Department on this blatant disregard for international law is deafening, particularly given the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978. The Litani River, for decades, has been a key geographical marker in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which explicitly calls for respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yet,