The Middle East conflict has had a direct impact on at least one Southside family. Businessman Mohamad Saadi who owns the Top Class mobile phone and accessory shop and internet café in Dixon Drive, Crosshill knows his family home in Lebanon has been badly damaged by Israeli bombing.

‘It feels terrible. I feel helpless. My father and brother, sister-in-law and children left one evening and the very next day the house next door was destroyed by Israeli missiles leaving our home badly damaged. We believe the whole village will soon be flattened.

‘My wife Najwa and our three children who are aged from one to eight years old, and my sister Rana and her two children who are aged five and six, were all visiting when the war started but managed to get back to the UK on the Sunday. The bomb fell on the following Wednesday.’

His home village of Arabsaleem is about the size of Govanhill and Pollokshields together. Around 45% of the population of Lebanon are children and 55% of the war injured are children. ‘Everyone is in God’s hands,’ said Mr Saadi. ‘But why will the people with power not agree to make peace?’

While his family were in the Lebanon, he and his brother Ahmad, who also works in Top Class, attended a Vigil 4 Peace in Lebanon held in George Square. More than 300 people lit candles and heard first hand reports of the conflict.

Clearly anxious for his relatives in his homeland, Mr Saadi appealed for everyone who cares about the situation in the Middle East to contact their Westminster MP and the Prime Minister to express their opinions, thoughts and feelings directly.

The Prime Minister can be emailed via the official government website: www.number10.gov.uk but you will not get a response.

If you want a response you have to write to him and post the letter to Tony Blair, Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, London SW1 2AA.