Protesters ransack UN building after Israeli air strike

PROTESTERS, angered by the Israeli air strike in Qana that killed up to 50 refugees, broke into the main UN building in Beirut yesterday, burning UN and American flags.

Outside, demonstrators chanted slogans against Israel and the US and denounced Arab governments for not doing enough to stop Israel’s 19-day bombardment of Lebanon.

Several thousand people amassed outside the building in downtown Beirut chanting “Death to Israel, death to America. We sacrifice our blood and souls for Lebanon”.

Geir Petersen, the personal representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Lebanon, condemned the Israeli attack on the village of Qana and called for an immediate investigation.

“I strongly condemn today’s killing of civilians by Israeli shelling of residential buildings in the village of Qana,” he said.

“We understand the feeling of the Lebanese people after many victims fell in the bombardment of Qana, which reminds us of the tragedy that befell the people of the village in 1996,” said Mervat Tallawy, UN under-secretary-general.

UN spokesman Khaled Mansour said the building had been stoned and furniture smashed but no UN staff were hurt as they had taken refuge in the basement. He said a small fire was started on the second floor but it had been contained.

Demonstrators held aloft the flags of Lebanon, Hezbollah and the Amal party, whose leader, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, appealed for a halt to the attack on the building.

Demonstrators tore down a UN flag outside the building and ripped it to shreds and called on Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to launch rocket attacks on Tel Aviv.

“Oh Nasrallah, oh our cherished one, destroy, destroy Tel Aviv,” they chanted.