Joe Dannaoui is praying for the safe return of his wife Mariette from Lebanon after bombs began falling and interrupted her chance of getting a visa to come to Australia.
By Shaun Inguanzo
A BERWICK teacher fears his new wife could be the next victim of a rain of bombs falling on Lebanon.
Berwick Primary School’s Joe Dannaoui says he will enter war-torn Lebanon at any cost to be with wife Mariette if she has not returned by the end of the year.
Mr Dannaoui said his wife was stuck in the north of Lebanon because she has been waiting for a spousal visa since the couple married in January.
But the Australian Embassy in Beirut closed its doors and stopped processing paperwork when Israel began bombing Lebanon last week.
Without a visa, the Australian Government does not recognise Mariette as an Australian citizen and will not help her as it struggles to get its own citizens out of the country.
“Her situation has fallen into a crack,” Mr Dannaoui said.
“If she doesn’t get a visa by the end of the year then I have to make a decision to go over there, too.
“She is my wife and that is what I am supposed to do. I have got to be with her.”
Mr Dannaoui said he phoned his wife several times each day as constant news bulletins of the bombings had made him fearful.
“Every day the bombing is moving further to the north and I am worried one day I will wake up and realise they have bombed where she is living.”
He described his wife’s parents as “diehard patriots” who would rather die in their homes than flee the bombs.
However, he said his wife was more worried about entering Australia.
“She was already stressed before the bombings about getting the visa,” he said.
“Now, she is extremely stressed because there is no way in the short term it will be approved.”
Mr Dannaoui praised Berwick Primary School for its support so far.
He said it had been difficult trying to teach while worrying about his wife.
Assistant principal Kaye Seton said the school would continue to support Mr Dannaoui.
“The school is really worried about his situation.
“We will do whatever we can to help him get through it, be it time or whatever he needs to allow him to do the best he can to get his wife here,” she said.
Dandenong’s Migrant Resource Centre acting chief executive Marija Dradic said the centre had not received any calls for help from Lebanese Australians, but would offer whatever it could if approached.
Anyone needing assistance can call the MRC on 9706 8933.
