The UK is gravely concerned by the escalating crisis in Lebanon. Not only does it pose a serious threat to the relationship between the Israeli’s and Lebanese governments but it also threatens the wider security of the region, and it is also causing huge harm to the civilian populations with casualties mounting on both sides. We offer our condolences to the Governments of Lebanon and Israel for the losses they have suffered and to the families of all those affected. The UK is committed to helping resolve this crisis. Read more about Government of United Kingdom: Statement on developments in the Middle East
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today expressed grave concern over the continued killing and maiming of civilians in Lebanon, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory and called for accountability for any breaches of international law. The High Commissioner recalled that parties to a conflict have the obligation to exercise precaution and respect the principle of proportionality in all military operations so as to prevent unnecessary suffering among the civilian population. Read more about UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Protection of civilians and accountability
The United Nations Security Council met Monday to discuss the current volatile situation on the ground in Lebanon, but the majority of council members have decided to delay any sort of reaction to the Israeli shelling of Lebanon and the Hezbollah rocket launches, until the UN high-level team reports back to the UN Secretary-General mid-week. “The Secretary-General expressed his intention to work with Security Council members on a package of actions that is practical and requires the parties to release their abductees, stop the rockets, and has Israel cease its retaliatory actions,” said top UN political affairs official Ibrahim Gambari after he briefed the council. Read more about Security Council delays, awaits high-level UN team
With tens of thousands of people fleeing the escalating conflict in Lebanon, WFP has sent an emergency team to conduct a preliminary needs assessment of the logistics infrastructure and particularly the feasibility of reaching the population in the affected areas. The agency has already drafted contingency plans to draw on existing food stocks within the area as well as its emergency response depot in Brindisi, southern Italy. Tens of thousands of displaced persons, including women and children, have abandoned their homes and taken shelter in temporary accommodation in schools and social institutions. Cut-off from the rest of their families, they may require food aid to survive the crisis. Read more about World Food Programme sends emergency assessment team to Lebanon
A member of the United Nations team dispatched to the Middle East to defuse the current crisis said today in Jerusalem that talks with senior Israeli officials were “good, intensive and productive” and the dialogue will continue in the coming days. “The UN delegation has presented concrete ideas on how to resolve the current crisis and reach an end of hostilities,” Terje Roed-Larsen, a member of the team led by Vijay Nambiar which also includes Alvaro de Soto, said in a statement following their meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni. Read more about In Jerusalem, UN team holds 'intensive and productive' talks on current crisis – official
The current military operations take Lebanon back to war times, bringing with it bitter memories of 1994 and 1996 with all its massive displacement and destruction of infrastructure. Since yesterday, Israel conducted bloody attacks and raids targeting infrastructure all over Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s action. Israel has bombarded the Damascus International Road, most of the major bridges linking the south to other regions, and villages in the Beqa’ and south. All three airports in the country were bombed, especially Beirut International Airport which is now closed. Israel has instigated a strict sea blockade off the coast of Lebanon. Read more about Voices from the Middle East
The government has set up four welcoming centres on the Syrian-Lebanese border to receive people fleeing ongoing aerial bombardments by Israel. Damascus has also opened up government schools and other institutions to Lebanese nationals who have nowhere to stay. A senior Syrian Red Crescent (SRC) official told IRIN on Tuesday that the aid organisation had established a direct telephone line to assist Lebanese nationals who are stuck without money or shelter. According to SRC head Abdul-Rahman Attar, some 20,000 Lebanese, Arab and other travellers traverse the four border crossings every day. Read more about Syria: More assistance given to besieged Lebanese
On Saturday, a number of families fled the southern Lebanese village of Marwahin after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned them to evacuate ahead of a threatened attack. On the road leading to the coast through Chamaa, however, Israeli missiles struck a convoy of the civilians. Maps of southern Lebanon show this road to be the only direct route for escaping the dangerous border area. A photographer for an international news agency who arrived at the scene two hours after the attack told Human Rights Watch that he saw a white van and a passenger car completely destroyed. He counted 16 dead bodies. Read more about Israel: Investigate attack on civilians in Lebanon
According to official sources, more than 650 people have been wounded and more than 180 killed in Lebanon since the conflict broke out on 12 July. The south is the area that has witnessed the most violence and casualties but the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Bekaa valley and the north have suffered as well. More than 100 villages and towns have been targeted in sea, land or air attacks (or a combination thereof). Although a great many people are fleeing the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, their numbers are impossible to estimate at this time. Displaced persons are mostly staying in overcrowded schools and outdoor parks. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have crossed into Syria. Read more about ICRC Bulletin No. 1 - Lebanon/Israel (12-18 July 2006)
“The past few days has seen a horrendous escalation in attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Yet the G8 leaders have failed conspicuously to uphold their moral and legal obligation to address such blatant breaches of international humanitarian law, which in some cases have amounted to war crimes.” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East Programme. “Beyond the blame game exercise, what is needed are concrete proposals for urgent action to stop the killings of civilians in both Lebanon and Israel.” Read more about UN Security Council must adopt urgent measures to protect civilians
