Lebanon humanitarian crisis

On 12 July Israel launched an offensive against Lebanon following the capture of two of its soldiers by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Israel attacked Hezbollah positions along the border with heavy artillery, tank fire and aerial assaults. For around 16 days today, the Israeli military operations have targeted all regions of Lebanon, but mostly focusing on the South of Lebanon and the Southern Suburbs of Beirut, a popular and overpopulated area. All villages and small towns in South Lebanon and Nabatieh, in addition to parts of the Beqaa, especially Middle and Western Beqaa and Baalbeck, the North of the country and Hermel, Mount Lebanon and the International road to Damascus have not been opened. Military operations and shelling have targeted the Beirut International Airport and port, smaller ports along the coast of Lebanon, 2 military airports and several Lebanese army bases, bridges, highways, and secondary smaller roads making the access to and from the South to Beirut and other areas almost impossible.

ACT member, the Middle East Council of Churches is responding to the situation through their program the Inter-church Network for Development in Lebanon (ICNDR). Through this preliminary appeal they are requesting assistance from the Alliance to respond to the most immediate needs of the affected population. They are proposing to provide food, non food relief items, water and sanitation and psychosocial attention. The water and sanitation component will be implemented by NCA. MECC/ICNDR and NCA are in the process to develop a MoU in relation to this component. The preliminary proposal is for three months. In the meantime, they will continue assessing the situation and revise their proposal accordingly.

The ACT CO is deploying a Coordination Assessment team that will arrive in Beirut next Sunday. They will be supporting MECC/ICNDR on assessing the situation, organizing the implementation and preparing a revision of the present appeal.

Project Completion Date: 31 October 2006

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested (US$):

Total Appeal Target(s): 4,877,152
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.: 221,000

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: 4,656,152

Signed by:
John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office