Beirut Under Fire

The Israeli war against the Palestinians began with sustained aerial bombardment raids on West Beirut, Friday, June 4, 1982. I had just left the Arab University area and was on my way to my hotel near the American University of Beirut when the city was rocked with the sounds of the bombing and the crash of anti-aircraft guns. The bombing raids lasted four hours during which time the Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila were attacked, Gaza Hospital was hit, the airport and the main road leading to it were damaged and the Municipal Sports Stadium was left full of gaping holes and with huge slabs of concrete Hanging down at all angles. When the carnage ended at least 100 were dead and another 200 severely wounded. Not all of the bodies had been dug out of the rubble around the stadium.

Cheryl Rubenberg is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Florida International University.