STORY: Border villages in south Lebanon celebrate Christmas season despite ongoing clashes
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 16, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:27
LOCATION: Beirut
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people celebrating Christmas season in the border village of Alma Al Shaab
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): PIERRE RIZKALLAH, Resident of the border village Alma Al Shaab
3. various of people celebrating Christmas season in Beirut

STORYLINE:

Despite the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army across the Lebanese-Israeli border, people in the Christian border villages in south Lebanon decided to celebrate the Christmas season.

In the border village of Alma Al Shaab, which has witnessed heavy Israeli shelling and air raids, many residents were forced to flee north to safer places.

The villagers who chose to stay have decided not to abandon their yearly traditions.

Pierre Rizkallah is one of them.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic): PIERRE RIZKALLAH, Resident of the border village Alma Al Shaab
"Despite the continuous shelling and the hard times we are living in, we in Alma Al Shaab decided to illuminate the Christmas tree. Hopefully, we will finish all the preparations today and we will light (the Christmas tree), so the people still staying here will feel that there is always hope that this situation will end. We want also the people passing by to know that Alma Al Shaab is still holding on and we hope that the war will end and the residents of Alma Al Shaab who left will return home and decorate our town like we always did. We celebrated Christmas last year and it was a success and received many visitors from the nearby towns and villages. Hopefully, next year, calm will prevail and we will celebrate Christmas again in peace that will honor Alma Al Shaab and south Lebanon."

Meanwhile, in Beirut, despite the harsh economic situation, huge Christmas trees were also illuminated for people to have a sign of hope.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beirut.
(XHTV)