Listen to the Article - Powered by

There is precious little cheer in the air as the land where Christ was born prepares to mark Christmas. The Middle East is caught in the grip of current wars and the fear of those to come. Entire peoples remain oppressed, repressed and/or dispossessed, either at the hands of their own governments or at those of someone else’s. This part of the world has seen more than its share of misery over the past half-century, but the last few years have been especially difficult. Palestine and Israel continue to wage a heartbreaking struggle, Iraq has been occupied by a foreign power, and terrorist bombings have claimed dozens of innocent lives from Casablanca to Riyadh. Even where there is no bloodshed, there is deep trepidation over what might happen in the new year.

This Article is only available in The Daily Star on-line archive.
Containing over 100,000 articles, The Daily Star archive is an excellent information source and research tool for all events in Lebanon and the region since 1997.

To access the article you must Register and purchase an Archive pack.
If you are already registered but you didn't purchase an Archive pack, Please please login here and purchase an Archive pack.

For a new Star Scene experience, check our new website at http://starscene.dailystar.com.lb