New Year in Tatters as Bombs, Threats Shake Tyre

W460

Zuheir Arnaout seethed with anger as he surveyed the damage from a bomb that targeted his restaurant in Tyre, one of the few cities in southern Lebanon where alcohol is still tolerated.

"What is it they want? To stop people from drinking, from having a good time?" he demanded outside the popular "Tyros" restaurant on the scenic Mediterranean seafront.

On Wednesday, a bomb made of two kilos of TNT exploded and caused extensive damage to the restaurant, destroying the "Tyros" band's instruments in the process.

The attack came a few days before New Year's Eve and was the third of its kind targeting alcohol-friendly restaurants in Tyre in the past two months.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings in Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city that boasts a picturesque port and Roman archaeological sites.

Home to both Muslims and Christians, Tyre is also popular among expats and U.N. peacekeeping troops deployed in southern Lebanon along with their families.

Like many Tyre townsfolk, Arnaout believes the bombings aim to kill off the city's lucrative tourism sector, which peaks in summer, as well as its popularity during the winter holiday season.

"There are rumors going round that some want to prevent the New Year's Eve countdown from being celebrated in Tyre," he said.

But Arnaout insisted he would not give in to threats.

"New Year's Eve will be celebrated in this restaurant -- the livelihood of 32 families depends on it," he told Agence France Presse.

Another restaurateur, who asked not to be identified, said he had received an anonymous call advising him not to organize anything for New Year's Eve.

"They said it would be best for me and my restaurant," he said.

But he said the blows dealt to business in Tyre by a string of bombings in recent months has left him no choice but to push on with the festivities.

"My restaurant cost me half a million dollars to build, and since the last bombing we have basically had zero business," he said.

Other restaurant owners are taking a more cautious approach, with some hanging signs in their windows reading: "We regret we are unable to offer alcohol."

Another restaurant owner who also requested anonymity said: "We were hanging posters advertising our bash with alcohol galore on the evening of December 31.

"They were torn down overnight, and we have no idea who might have done it." On November 16, twin bombings hit Tyre in an attack officials said targeted the few remaining alcohol-friendly shops and clubs in conservative southern Lebanon.

The targets of the November bombings were a nightclub in a Shiite neighborhood popular with U.N. troops and a liquor store in the Christian quarters of the city.

The campaign to rid the south of alcohol has been running for years.

Alcohol shops in the southern town of Nabatiyeh, where the majority of residents are Shiites, were forced to close their doors this year after popular protests demanding that the town become alcohol-free.

The recent bombings, combined with a campaign of intimidation by local conservative parties and their supporters, have also forced several liquor vendors in Tyre to close shop.

Tyre is politically controlled by the Amal Movement, a party led by Speaker Nabih Berri and allied with Hizbullah.

Salah Sebraoui, vice president of Tyre's municipality, told AFP officials had taken measures aimed at lessening the tension, installing surveillance cameras across the city.

But despite such measures, the streets of the normally bustling Tyre were eerily empty on Wednesday, as tension gripped the city's neighborhoods.

Some people have even begun to change their plans for the New Year, a holiday that is wildly popular in multi-confessional Lebanon.

"We have cancelled our reservation for 20 people on New Year's Eve and we'll probably head to Beirut to celebrate instead," said Hisham Bitar, a 44-year-old Muslim who is married to a Christian.

"If fundamentalists are behind these bombings, if their aim is to drag Tyre back to the Middle Ages, this is totally unacceptable," said Hoda, a shopkeeper in Tyre.

"Why don't they just let people live their lives?"

Comments 11
Default-user-icon Minx (Guest) 29 December 2011, 12:14

Who ever did this, considering the fact that it took place in a city that is under the control of Shi3at movements, will widen the sectarian rift and will raise question marks on where are we heading for!!
What even make it worse, that non of these movements(Being Hizb or Amal) have condemned it!!....Is this the picture our Sh3at's compatriot want to expose to the rest of the Lebaneses on the Logo/title that Amal & Hizb are supposidly fond of (Al 3aysh Al mushtarak)??Tyre's residents are mixed and will not succumb to tyranies and opression..Tyre, the Historical pride of Lebanon will never be an Iranian District..

Thumb thepatriot 29 December 2011, 12:51

Marwan Charbel will probabely tell us in a few days that he has a lead... and then this story will be forgotten...
We want to preserve the country from an internal conflict right? So who cares for a few bombs here & there huh?? Shame on this country, shame on those fanatics, and shame on our government!

Missing sergio 29 December 2011, 14:31

things like this are only done by our one & only Hezbelshaitan & their one & only brothers Amal (Ahbal) their only aim is to make lebanon another islamic republic of Iran & welayat al Faqih. They will try without any luck because they will go down sooner or later. Filthy thugs, but unfortunately Lebanon & his people will suffer until the country is clean from these thugs Traitors.

Thumb Chupachups 29 December 2011, 14:36

Stories like this make me angry.. who the ---- are these ppl?

Lebanon is the only country in the world where you can commit a crime, and no1 will find out who did it...

Thumb Chupachups 29 December 2011, 14:38

people should be protesting against this type of thing, we need to show those we are not afraid of their cowardly acts.

Missing sikoflebanon 29 December 2011, 17:18

Soon alcohol shops in RABIEH will receive threats!

Thumb shab 29 December 2011, 21:00

It was a dispute between two car dealers

Default-user-icon hanna (Guest) 29 December 2011, 22:32

they refused to deal the hizb drugs on the premisses

Thumb jabalamel 30 December 2011, 03:29

zionist information war department uses this news to prove their worthless point

In fact there is no evidence that anyone connected with our glorious resistance is responsible nor that alcohol is the motive.

Thumb jabalamel 30 December 2011, 03:31

more likely is cia and mossad trying to instigate christians against muslims.

Thumb jabalamel 30 December 2011, 13:43

the zionist information war department is having hygene problems. they don't shower regulary. it's because they don't have water? and why they don't have water? because the lose information war so their bosses punish them by restricting water resources for them