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Lebanese expats view ceasefire with mixed feelings

Comments from Hezbollah and Israel indicate the readiness on both sides to retaliate should the merest whiff of cordite tarnish the air.

In the relative calm of Dubai, a few Lebanese expatriates shared their thoughts with Khaleej Times.

"The ceasefire will only last if the resolution is fair and unbiased but it's not," said Karim H, a Lebanese expatriate residing in Dubai for over a decade.

"When the UN adopt such an unfair resolution, how do they think that it can work out? What they need to do is tackle the root problem: the unlawful occupation of Lebanese land. They talk of terrorists fighting in Lebanon but look at those people in Israel and in other governments. After all this killing, tell me now where the terrorists are?"

Sadri, another Lebanese resident of Dubai refused to consider the word "ceasefire"; instead he sees it as a temporary period of quiet, a slight pause in the conflict. But is there cautious hope?

"The UN resolution is full of traps but of course I hope that both parties will abide by it," he said.

"But the problem is that there are so many things that are unclear. The Israelis have demonstrated in the past that they will exploit any possible loopholes and here there are many. This war will not solve any crises and a continuation of hostilities will not help. And at the end of the day civilians are dying. The one thing that I have been happy with is the transparency of the media and the way that they have allowed to go anywhere. That says something about democracy in Lebanon. And the other so-called democracies are trying to teach us!"

It would be stupid not to cling to even the most tenuous of olive branches and Talal believes that there is hope.

"This ceasefire is a very good thing especially after so much killing of innocent people and it will put a stop to the suffering. I hope that it will be maintained in the long term and that everybody abides by it. It looks real enough and genuine and I think that it will hold. The next three days will be crucial but hopefully it will all go well."

"Once bitten, twice shy," said Joe Helou, a doctor . "This is the sixth war and we've learned a great deal. The resolution is ambiguous and it's not always good to believe in politics. I'll believe in the ceasefire when it actually holds. But I do think that the Israelis have learned a lesson and they'll count to 100 before they start again."

Mazen Hayek of MSNL has the final word. "It's like a boxing match where the bell has been sounded. The fighters are bloodied but neither has been able to get a knockout. It's a truce rather than a true ceasefire. All the parties have to abide by the resolution. The Lebanese government has agreed but Hezbollah does not seem so keen. It doesn't look promising but we can only pin our hopes on the Lebanese and international troops."

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