EDITOR: This feature introduces a Correspondent offering a perspective on news from her/his part of the world. This first report comes from Nazareth, Israel, and is in two parts: the first is a personal report; the second relates the deaths of the two Arab Israeli brothers.

ONE: 17 July 2006

Greetings from the city of Nazareth.

I know you hear the news and wonder about our situation and our safety. Nazareth and also some close towns were hit by missiles from the Lebanese side last night. There were no casualties in these instancess. Also yesterday one missile fell close to Kana, my wife's town only 3 miles away from Nazareth. The towns that are closer to the Lebanese border have been attacked heavily by the Katusha missiles that the Hezbollah launches. There have been a number of casualties among the Israelis both civilians and army. We still feel safe to some extent but we are very worried about the escalation of violence in this region and the danger of a wider confrontation between the conflicting parties that may bring so much ruin and so much pain.

There have been many lives claimed in South Lebanon and also in Beirut, among them many children and women. It is also horrifying to see the injured children and their suffering. I believe there is no sensible explanation to be given for why conditions are as they exist now. Israel is determined to break Hezbollah, and it seems regardless of the cost. Hezbollah believes it is in a holy war to defend their territory and their existence. Meanwhile chances for a more peaceful situation for the ordinary people are being killed.

On the Palestinian issue, the Gaza Stripe that is under the Palestinian Authority continues to be attacked everyday. Many died in the recent weeks, even whole families were wiped away. I am sure life is hell to many of the inhabitants there. The picture there is very gloomy and may continue to be so in the coming weeks.

I know that you join us in our prayers for peace and want to ask you to continue to do so. While it is hard to picture a Middle East without turmoil, but I believe the conditions can be better than they are now.

Peace in His Name

TWO: 20 July 2006

The two children who died are brothers. One is seven years old and the other is three. At the time when the missile fell they were going to their
uncle's house which is next door to their own house. They were very close it seems and died on the instant. They were also buried in the same night. The missile fell around four o'clock p.m. and few hours later they were buried in a Muslim cemetery.

Two children were supposed to go to bed that night and wake up to a new day. The mother of the two children was shown on the news and she said that God has given her the two boys and God has taken them again. The majority of Muslims in this land are very religious and believe things happen according to the will of God. Some consider the two children to be martyrs.

We are sorrowful for the loss of this family and are prayerful that nobody else gets hurt.