"Lebanon has reaffirmed its right to resist "Israel's" occupation of south Lebanon. It has also categorically rejected "Israel's" demand to reach security arrangements in the southern village of Arnoun which was occupied on Thursday. Today (yesterday), five families abandoned their homes. They were the latest to leave the village. And this morning, residents were denied entry by "Israel's" local allies who are controlling the village and manning a checkpoint at its entrance. In Yohmor Shkief, which borders Arnoun, people are scared they may be "Israel's" next target".

" The southern village of Yohmor has never been so close to the zone "Israel" occupies in southern Lebanon. It is nestled between hills and valleys that have for long been occupied by "Israel". Yohmor is only a glance away from settlements inside "Israel". There is only one road linking the village to the rest of Lebanon. That road is no longer safe. "Israeli" forces and their local allies who recently occupied Yohmor's twin village, Arnoun, about two kilometers away, have built an encampment on the side of the road, sparking fear among Yohmor's residents, who say they could be "Israel's" next target for occupation or harassment. The village's local official, Hussein Al-Jaraf, is worried. He says he has been holding back seven families from leaving Yohmor. The men commute to neighboring towns for work, and students use the road which practically goes through Arnoun to get to their schools. Anyone traveling on that route could easily be snatched by occupation troops. Al-Jaraf also warns that "Israel" could attempt to blockade the village as it did three years ago. That he stresses would amount to a disaster, since Yohmor depends on neighboring Nabatieh for all its services and for purchasing food. Inhabitants say they starved during the last blockade. The only crop people can cultivate here is tobacco; "Israel" does not allow them to reach their farmland.

Seventy-year old Fatima, like others in Yohmor, is terrified. She describes her village as an island that is suffering. "Israel", she laments, is constantly watching over their activities. With most of Arnoun now deserted, she fears for her village's destiny. Upon hearing the news of Arnoun's occupation, Fatima said her family felt as if the home collapsed on their head. It is difficult to imagine that two hundred and thirty seven families live in Yohmor. The roads and alleys are empty. Most people feel safer inside their houses, especially since Arnoun was occupied. Life has been disrupted by developments down the road. Only one doctor treats patients at this clinic, and recently he has been reluctant to show up, fearing possible attacks on the road to Yohmor. A nurse is trying to help the local residents. But she is concerned over the increased number of sick people in the village since Arnoun's occupation. She believes they are experiencing psychological trauma. Students are showing up to this only school in the village, but many of their teachers, who commute from nearby places, have been refusing to make the now dangerous trip. There is a lot of silence in Yohmor, not many are willing to express their anxiety on camera, they fear retaliation by occupation forces. One man told us, "Israel's" local allies have lately been venturing out of the Beaufort Castle outpost. That is only exacerbating fear in an already traumatized village".