Impact of war in Lebanon felt by Norwich Resident

Norwich resident Nadia Kaddoura still has family in Lebanon and is concerned for their safety when she sees news of escalating conflict there. (Contributed Photo).

Jennifer Wild

As a second-generation immigrant of Lebanese parents, Norwich resident, Nadia Kaddoura, has been following the news closely over the past few weeks. While she grew up here in Canada, her extended family still resides in Tripoli, Lebanon. Nadia moved to Norwich two years ago, with her two children who attend the local public school. She is a part-time real estate agent and entrepreneur. In 2013, she flew to Lebanon to be married in the country of her heart. After the busyness of the big city, Norwich is quiet and welcoming. Her parents arrived in Canada many years ago.

Beginning in October of last year, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in air strikes, artillery and missile shelling in the south of Lebanon. Attacks have intensified on Beirut, the capital, since September 2024, triggering evacuation orders. Nadia had hoped her father, who was visiting family in Tripoli, would be able to fly home to Canada on Oct 18^th, before local airports were shut down. Unfortunately, her father suffered a fall and is not able to fly for at least another month. Airports are opening for occasional flights, enabling Nadia’s paternal uncle to leave, a journey that took almost three days to complete. Her grandmother, cousins and aunts chose to stay behind despite the danger.

As Nadia told her story, tears filled her eyes. Her communications with her family have been extremely limited, with phone calls being disconnected or simply not getting through. As the conflict escalates, Nadia fears that she will never see her family again, her children will grow up without a grandfather. The conflict between Lebanon and Israel has been going on since 1948, though Nadia believes it to be earlier.  She recalls her mother telling her of witnessing buildings collapsing after being hit by a bomb, and explosions in residential neighbourhoods.

“They bring up their children and teach them one day we will be bombed, because they know we will be bombed, they are used to it … I teach my children to expect an attack so they are prepared” Nadia said. “This big conflict, Israel, Iran, Palestine it's like they are throwing a ball back and forth, they want to bomb each other.”

Nadia has been leaning on her faith, finding comfort in prayer. She hopes people will pay attention to what is going on and listen to both sides of the story, and awareness of what is happening in the Middle East can bring change.