U.N. rips lack of aid access in Lebanon

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060810/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_aid_4

<snip>

It said a U.N. convoy of 15 trucks containing humanitarian relief, including medicines and health supplies, was unable to proceed to Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.

The World Food Program also appealed to Israel and Hezbollah to allow relief assistance to reach thousands of victims in southern Lebanon.

"Above all, we require a cessation of hostilities by both sides to allow humanitarian aid through," said Zlatan Milisic, WFP Emergency Coordinator in Lebanon. "Our aid operation is like a patient starved of oxygen facing paralysis, verging on death, if we can't open up our vital supply lines to help an estimated 100,000 people stranded south of the Litani River."

The international Red Cross, which also has pressed for improved access to southern Lebanon, said it has received a personal commitment from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that "everything possible will be done to facilitate access for our teams on the ground."

"Anything short of full access to these areas is insufficient," said ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger, who just concluded a four-day visit to Lebanon and Israel.

[leftchick]

1. Heroes....

Lebanese Red Cross volunteers transfer medical supplies and food by hand intended for southern Lebanon across the Litani River north of the port city of Tyre, southern Lebanon, Thursday Aug. 10, 2006. The only road link that crossed the river between Tyre in south Lebanon and Sidon was destroyed by Israeli bombardment last week, essentially sealing the city from the rest of the country. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

[mom cat]

2. Hezbolla is not blocking the relief ... only Israel is.

[Igel]

3. This is getting silly.

How about the suggestion everybody had for Katrina: air-drops. There's enough open ground.

Deliver the stuff to Tel Aviv, have some IDF wonk make sure that the water is water and the rice is rice, and fly it the 150 miles by air to drop it in/near Baalbek. Hezb anti-aircraft fire is pointless, it seems, and surely if Nasrallah gives the word that at a certain time it'll be an aid flight, not a bombing run, his guys would back down.

Much easier. If people need to get in, walk or take motorbikes. Half a day, if you know that the necessary crap will be there. Stipulate a color for protection, and if that color suddenly pops up, nail Hezb for using it.

[cal04]

4. Israel, Hizbullah a disgrace, says UN as aid is blocked

The United Nations emergency relief coordinator yesterday branded Israel and Hizbullah a disgrace for their refusal to stop fighting long enough to allow vital aid to enter southern Lebanon. Jan Egeland said there were 120,000 civilians stranded without necessary supplies in southern Lebanon.

"It's a disgrace really, because the parties to the conflict, Hizbullah and the Israelis, could give us access in a heartbeat, and then we could help 120,000 people in southern Lebanon," he said in Geneva.

"I don't think any military advantage has been gained in these last days or will be gained in the next hours but we could save a lot of lives."

Mr Egeland's comments were backed up by a warning from the UN World Food Programme, which urged a cessation of hostilities to allow aid supplies through.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1842195,00.html

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. 15 trucks of relief aid was 14 more than NO got.

Hypocrites.