Hundreds of Lebanese citizens staged a sit-in near Al-Masnaa’ border crossing in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon on Friday to express solidarity with the Syrian town of Madaya. They called for lifting the 7-month siege the Assad regime and Hezbollah militias have imposed on the town where nearly 40,000 trapped civilians face starvation.
The protesters blocked Al-Masnaa’ international road for a short period of time.
Scholars of Dar Al-Fatwa Council in the Bekaa Valley called on the Lebanese government to prevent Hezbollah militants from entering Syria to fight alongside the Assad regime. They also called for lifting the siege on Madaya and relieving its residents.
Participants in the sit-in waved loaves of bread in reference to the lack of food in Madaya where activists published photos and videos for children and adults with skeletal bodies as a result of hunger.
Participants also held placards that read: “Is it acceptable in our time that dogs and cats are eaten?” The placards refer to Madaya residents’ resorting to eating cats and dogs to resist hunger.
Similarly, social media websites buzzed with the hashtag: “In solidarity with Madaya” in response to Hezbollah supporters’ posting of photos showing them gloating over the plight of Madaya by posing alongside plenty of food. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Anadolu)