World donors meet in Stockholm for Lebanon aid conference

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden - About 60 governments and aid organizations were meeting in Stockholm on Thursday hoping to raise $500 million to help Lebanon rebuild roads, bridges and homes left shattered by a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

In opening remarks, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said the direct damage of the conflict was in the ''billions of dollars'' while the indirect cost including lost tourism and industry revenue would cost billions more.

''Moreover, Lebanon's well-known achievements in 15 years of postwar development have been wiped out in a matter of days by Israel's deadly military machine,'' Saniora said.

He said reconstruction efforts would be ''severely undermined'' if Israel doesn't lift its sea, air and land blockade of Lebanon. Israel has said it would only allow free movement after the full implementation of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire deal that halted the fighting.

Santa Barbara News Press