Local Lebanese families fear for safety of loved ones back home

Montie Martin, The Examiner
2006-07-19 09:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

With the Beirut airport bombed and little chance of getting to and from the seaports, entire families are stranded in Lebanon. Relatives outside the country are watching the war helplessly.

“My whole family is over there,” said Dina Khoury, a professor of Middle East studies at The George Washington University. “They are relatively safe now, but my mother is very close to the bombings in Beirut.”

Electricity is nonexistent for Khoury’s relatives, and all of the family businesses had to close as a result of the invasion.

“We are extremely worried. This is the height of the tourist season,” said Dr. George Cody, executive director with the American Task Force for Lebanon. “We’ve been fielding calls from concerned families for the last week.”

The American Task Force for Lebanon has updated its Web site on all information regarding evacuation procedures as advised by United States policy.

Families visiting from Lebanon have also been affected by the war over the past week.

“My brother and his wife, as well as their three children, are all unable to go back until the airport opens, which may take a while,” Khoury said.

According to Census 2000, the Lebanese community in D.C., Maryland and Virginia numbers about 22,000, by far the largest segment of those claiming Middle East ancestry.

That community is united in its stance — urging the U.S. government to facilitate an immediate cease-fire.

“The immediate goal of the United States should be the complete cessation of hostilities,” Cody said . “We can use our influence over Israel to stop the escalating carnage.”

Cody suggested that even just having the Secretary of State or special envoys on hand could have a positive effect.

“I can speak as an Arab and an American,” said Waleed Khoury, a sophomore at Kenyon College and Dina Khoury’s son. “As Americans, we should be able to sympathize with the civilians. As an Arab, I’m obviously very angry with the situation.”

mmartin@dcexaminer.com