"Most people in Beirut Friday said they felt that the "Israeli" attack on the country’s infrastructure was a blow to the already lagging economy and to the forthcoming summer tourist season.

“The "Israelis" always carry out their large-scale attacks either on the eve of the tourist season or right at the beginning,” said Rabih Tabbarah, 26, who runs a clothing store on Hamra, recalling the April 1996 “Grapes of Wrath” operation.

“They’re paralyzing the country when our economy is already languishing,” Tabbarah said. “Any tourists thinking of coming to the country have probably changed their minds. This is just military and economic terrorism.”

Nader Saab, 43, who runs a luggage store in Hamra, also believed that the goal of the "Israeli" attack was to cripple the Lebanese economy.

“The "Israelis" don’t want to see Lebanese reconstruction go forward.” Saab said. “They want to see us pay billions of dollars to rebuild our bridges and restore our electricity and never have the chance to move forward.”

Khalil Omar, 39, said that "Israel" views Lebanon as one of its main competitors in the tourism industry in the Middle East and it is, therefore, in "Israel's" interest to discourage tourism in Lebanon.

“The "Israelis" see that we can attract international events like Miss Europe and Pavarotti and they don’t like it,” he said.

Mazen Khattab, 26, a Jordanian who lived in Lebanon from 1991 to 1997, said "Israel" uses Hizbullah as an excuse to attack the country’s infrastructure.

Massoud Akbarian, 29, tour manager of an Iranian travel agency, arrived in Lebanon early on Thursday with a group of tourists. He said that the "Israeli" attack was bound to hurt the tourist industry.

“The bombs are obviously not a tourist attraction. Tourists get scared when they hear such noises,” he said.

But a handful of people ­ Lebanese who live abroad and foreigners visiting the country ­ said that the attack did not succeed in scaring them out of Lebanon and many expressed support for the resistance.

Riad Zahr, 29, a Lebanese-American who runs a pharmacy in Michigan and is in Beirut visiting family, said that despite the brutality of the "Israeli" attack, the resistance should continue fighting.

“I think it’s terrible but the resistance has to go on doing what it’s doing so that we don’t lose the south,” Zahr said. “Everybody I know in America supports the resistance, even though they’re branded terrorists by the media. America fought for its independence from the British just as Hizbullah is fighting against "Israeli" occupation.”

“Ever since the Qana massacre, people in the United States are more aware that "Israel" is illegally occupying Lebanon. My Senator, Spencer Abraham, is Lebanese, and he helps promote the Lebanese cause,” Zahr added.

Salim Murr, 46, is a Lebanese engineer who has lived in California since he was 20 years old.

“It’s the first time I’ve been to Beirut in 20 years,” Murr said. “I’m visiting my parents and I’m not going to leave earlier than scheduled.”

Gorge Collina, 32, an Argentinian vacationing in Lebanon, admitted that he was frightened during the attack. But the “incident,” as he called it, will also not affect the duration of his stay.

“I thought the bombs were falling in Hamra but when I ran back to the hotel, the concierge told me not to worry because it was far away,” he said.

“Excluding this incident, I’m really enjoying my stay here,” he added.

Ghassan Ammar, 18, said that Lebanon’s reaction to the attacks was weak.

“It should have been much stronger. Sending memos to the UN Security Council is not enough,” he said. “At a time when Arabs should be uniting against "Israel", some are collaborating with the enemy and signing useless peace treaties. We should sign peace treaties only after each Arab country returns to its original boundaries.”

Hassan Ftouni, 47, a teacher at the Lebanese University, was disappointed with the response of "Israeli" prime minister-elect, Ehud Barak.

“We were expecting Barak to be better than this but it seems as though he’s just the same as the outgoing prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu,” he said.

Jameeleh Haddad, 57, spoke with tears in her eyes: “We’re already suffering without the bombing so how do you expect us to feel after the bombing?” she asked. “I woke up startled four times last night and my heart almost stopped.”