Having shut down operations when the Israeli bombing campaign began on July 13, 2006, Abbas Safieddine had the disconcerting experience three days later of seeing the smoldering ruins of his plastics factory outside Sour broadcast on France 24. Despite sitting on an isolated plot of land, far from any military, or even another civilian, establishment, PlastiMed’s facility was destroyed entirely by several direct hits; for days the plastic-fueled fire raged, while the site continued to billow smoke for weeks. “That Sunday [July 16] was when they started bombing [manufacturers]; that was the ‘industry day’ when they hit all the factories for some reason,” Safieddine said. Theories have abounded as to the rationale behind the targeting of independent, apolitical businesses, with some accusing Israel of attempting to wipe out regional competitors. But in the case of PlastiMed, which manufactures and supplies to “filling companies” intravenous pouches for medical use, no such
