Daily Star: Shebaa Farms residents insist they are Lebanese

The Lebanese Daily Star reported that "The citizens of Arkoub and Shebaa Farms insisted on Monday that 'the Shebaa Farms belong to Lebanon.' During a news conference at the Toufic Tabbara hall, the association of the Arkoub and Shebaa Farms demanded that the government take action on the national and international scene to prove that the Farms belong to Lebanon."

The Daily Star reported residents of the area and its mayor affirming the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms, with one resident saying about the ongoing national dialog on this subject "So what kind of a dialogue is that when the people of Shebaa and Arkoub are absent from it?" he asked.

The Daily Star quoted the brigadier general responsible for demarcating the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, Amin Hoteit, saying "The issue of identity was over and done with in May of 2000, and that is proven in documents. When Israel annexed the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms were not included and that proves its Lebanese identity.. Even the Israel newspaper Haaretz claimed on February 26, 2006 that the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese."