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UN environment agency set to begin aerial surveillance of Lebanese oil spill

21 August 2006


Following assurances from Israeli authorities of safe passage for its flights, the UN’s Environmental Programme (UNEP) is swiftly moving to begin aerial surveys of the massive oil spill that affected some 150 kilometres of Lebanese and Syrian coastline. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 tons of oil spewed into the sea after Israeli missiles struck a power utility south of Beirut between 13 and 15 July but because of the recent conflict between Israel and Hizbollah, comprehensive aerial surveillance has not been possible until now. Computer models estimate that some of the oil has evaporated and significant amounts are on shore, but experts are uncertain how much remains at sea. 

A war against art and culture

Samia A. Halaby 21 August 2006


This past month, Lebanese artist Youssef Ghazzawi’s studio was destroyed by Israeli military bombardment for the third time in his life. The first time was in 1977 when his home in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam was severely bombed. And the second time was in 1983 during the Israeli occupation of Beirut; the apartment building he was living and working in collapsed due to continuous shelling. Under each barrage, his entire studio and most of its contents were destroyed. He had salvaged a few things from the previous two demolitions and was saving them. In the most recent destruction of Youssef’s studio his entire life’s output was lost. 

Annan: Israel's ceasefire violation endangers fragile calm

21 August 2006


United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been in touch with top Israeli and Lebanese officials today following an Israeli raid in eastern Lebanon which he warned endangers the fragile calm that has generally held in the region since Monday. “The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about a violation by the Israeli side of the cessation of hostilities as laid out in Security Council resolution 1701,” a UN spokesman said in a statement. Adopted on 11 August, that text mandated a halt to the fighting which took effect three days later. 

Israeli raid condemned as plans made to clear landmines

20 August 2006


The IDF has engaged elements of Hezbollah in the Beka’a Valley close to the village of Bodai in an overnight raid. The mission reportedly killed three Hezbollah militants; one Israeli soldier was killed in the attack. The IDF insists that the raid was aimed at disrupting an arms transfer, and was clearly a “defensive” operation. The UN Special Envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, termed the incident an “unwelcome development” a day after the Secretary-General warned of a ‘fragile’ situation on the ground. In addition, UXO contamination continues to be reported across the South. Cluster bombs have been observed in large numbers in population areas and where intense fighting took place. 

On an aid convoy to war-torn Bint Jbeil

Simon Ingram 19 August 2006


The first consignment of UN aid arrived yesterday in the shattered town of Bint Jbeil, close to the Lebanese border with Israel and scene of some of the fiercest fighting during the recent conflict. UNICEF Communication Officer Simon Ingram travelled with the convoy and filed this report: It’s 8 a.m. and our convoy of 16 battered trucks is lined up on the Tyre seafront. I am in the rear escort vehicle, an armoured Land Cruiser, in line with the tight security rules that apply to a zone of recent conflict. We set off on the road heading east, joining a line of Lebanese army troop carriers and armoured personnel carriers deploying to the same area. 

Mine-clearing begins in Southern Lebanon

21 August 2006


The UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) is sending reconnaissance teams through damaged areas in southern Lebanon to locate cluster bomb strikes. Fifty-one individual strike locations have been confirmed with the teams having covered approximately 40% of damaged areas thus far. The total number of strikes is expected to rise to over 200. In addition, at least 20 air-dropped bombs, ranging in size from 500lbs to 2,000lbs, have been located. The UNMACC has estimated that it could take 12 months to clear UXOs from southern Lebanon. 

PCHR Condemns the Kidnapping of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister

20 August 2006


PCHR strongly condemns the abduction of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Dr. Naser El-Deen El-Sha’er, by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) from his house in Ramallah. The abduction is a continuation of the campaign against Palestinian Government Ministers and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) from the pro-Hamas “Change and Reform List.” The Centre views the abduction as a continuation of the efforts to undermine the results of the free and democratic elections of 25 January 2006 in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). 

3 Palestinian civilians killed by IOF in the West Bank

20 August 2006


In the past three days, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have killed 3 Palestinians in the West Bank. Two of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF in Bethlehem, whereas the third one was killed when IOF opened fire at a civilian car that was attempting to bypass Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus. According to investigation conducted by PCHR, at approximately 04:10 on Friday, 18 August 2006, IOF, supported by a helicopter, moved into al-‘Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem, and imposed a curfew. They besieged a field on al-Hadadiya Mount, southeast of the village. They fired live bullets and flash bombs. 

2:30 AM in Gaza

Malek Shubair Gaza Strip 19 August 2006


My wife tapped me on the shoulder, saying, “Wake up and take Mohammad. I’ve fed him and changed his diapers, but he won’t go to sleep. I’m too tired to hold him.” Somehow, I caught all of that despite the fact that I haven’t had three hours of sleep. I opened my eyes slowly. My wife had the light on her side of the bed on. It was dim, but enough to annoy my sleep-hungry eyes. But we were lucky to have electricity, a rare commodity since the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza power station 10 days earlier. My three-week-old son was in his bed, starting to wind up for a bout of crying. 

Breakdown

Sami Hermez Beirut 25 August 2006


Breakdown. I had a momentary breakdown. Driving back to Beirut last night, alone in my car, paying attention to Music for the first time in a month, I began to comprehend all that I saw this last week in the South of Lebanon; I finally let out tears. How does one describe destruction giving it a unique touch, a local expression? I am beginning to think this is impossible because of the very nature of man made destruction. Villages in the South look like pictures I have seen of Hiroshima; they look like Berlin at the end of WWII, and they basically look like many other cities and villages destroyed in history; in a picture, frame per frame, it all looks the same.