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Article: PERSPECTIVE: The Switzerland of Middle East no more; As Lebanon is engulfed in violence Martha Linden looks at how the 'Switzerland of the Middle East' descended into destruction while Tim Moynihan examines the origins of the latest crisis.(News)
- Article from:
- The Birmingham Post (England)
- Article date:
- July 21, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Martha Linden, Tim Moynihan
The name Lebanon derives from the Semitic word for white, a reference to the snow-capped Mount Lebanon in the country.
The small, largely mountainous country is located at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean and is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south.
The country was once known, before the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in 1975, as the "Switzerland of the Middle East" because of its conflict-free status.
The capital, Beirut, was a byword for romance and elegance, with ...