Dahieh

Satellite photographs of the Haret Hreik neighborhood [Dahyeh district] of Beirut, Lebanon, before and after 22 July 2006. See also high resolution photographs before and after^{[dead link]}.

Dahieh^[1] (Arabic: الضاحية الجنوبية‎, al-Dahiya al-Janubiya, (French: La Banlieue Sud de Beyrouth, La Dâhiye de Beyrouth, meaning "the southern suburb") is a predominately Shia-Muslim suburb south of Beirut, Lebanon, composed of several towns and municipalities. There is also a substantial Maronite Christian population coexisting in Chyah, Haret Hreik and Bourj el-Barajneh. There is also a minority of coexisting Sunni Muslims. It is located north of the Rafic Hariri International Airport, with the Airport Road passing through it. Prior to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, it was a residential area as well as a commercial area with malls and stores. The district is home to many souks. It was also the Beirut stronghold of the Shi'ite Islamist group, Hezbollah, and it had a large auditorium in Haret Hreik where Hezbollah followers gather during special occasions. Sometimes, its leader Hassan Nasrallah would be among the guests of honour.

2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

On July 13, 2006, Israeli jets dropped leaflets over Dahieh warning residents to evacuate the area^{[citation needed]} before carpet-bombing the neighborhood to rubble. However, not everyone managed to flee the town, and those who did escape became refugees within the mainland "north" Beirut. Those who remained behind experienced the bombing.

The neighbourhood of Dahieh continued to be a frequent target of Israeli jets and warships. The Hezbollah auditorium and residential areas were destroyed according to Lebanese, Arab and western media.^{[citation needed]} Hezbollah's television station, Al-Manar, was also targeted in the area.

Hours after the August 14, 2006 ceasefire, Hezbollah pledged to reconstruct houses for the dwellers of Dahieh, and it offered rent money for the time-being as attempt to build better houses condenses.^[2]

On September 22, 2006, Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah attended a mass rally in Dahieh declaring a "Divine Victory" against Israel. Apart from mentioning Hezbollah having 20,000 rockets at its disposal, he also went on to criticize Lebanon's central government, stating it should step down and form a unity government.^[3]

According to the Hezbollah's "Jihad al-bina' " association for the reconstruction, the reconstruction of Dahieh should begin from 25 May 2007, the day of the annual party of the 2000 Israeli pullout from Lebanon.

See also

• 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
• Haret Hreik
• Targeting of civilian areas in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
• Lebanese Dec. 1 2006 protest
• Dahiya doctrine

Notes

1. ^ Dahieh is sometimes spelled as "Dahiyeh" or "Dahiye" in Lebanon.
2. ^ Boston.com
3. ^ AlJazeera International

References

• Hizbullah’s New Face, In search of a Muslim democracy, by Helena Cobban, Boston Review, April/May, 2005

External links

• Google Maps image of the Dahaya
• Google map of Hurat Hurayk neighborhood, Beirut, Lebanon — Satellite photograph of the Haret Hreik neighborhood [Dahyeh district], Beirut, Lebanon, before the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
• High resolution DigitalGlobe photograph of Hurat Hurayk neighborhood, Beirut, Lebanon — Satellite photograph of the Haret Hreik neighborhood [Dahiyeh district], Beirut, Lebanon, 22 July 2006
• Free Patriotic Movement - At-Tayyar, Official Site.