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News Releases
No. 72/06
August 18, 2006
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN LEBANON: COMMISSIONER MICHEL'S VISIT TO TEL AVIV TO URGE FOR ISRAELI ACTION
Meeting Israel's Minister of Defense, Amir Peretz (above, right), in Tel Aviv on Thursday, 17
August, EU Commissioner for
Development and
Humanitarian Aid,
Louis Michel (above, left), urged
Israel to bring to an immediate end its blockade of Lebanon so that urgently
needed humanitarian aid can reach the people. Louis Michel also met with
officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responsible for IDF's Center for
Coordination of Humanitarian Relief (CCHR) to discuss possibilities for
expanded and improved access to the victims of the
conflict in Southern Lebanon.
He called for the respect of the international humanitarian rules that are
designed to limit the effects of armed conflict on non-combatants. The Finnish
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Paula Lehtomäki (above, center), representing the
EU
Presidency, accompanied Louis Michel on his visit.
The two EU representatives, who had previously spent three days in Lebanon,
described to their Israeli counterparts the emergency situation the Lebanese
people are facing, despite the cessation of hostilities, due to the lack of
basics such as food, medicines, fuel and electricity and destroyed
infrastructure (houses, roads, bridges, etc.). The Commissioner also urged Israel
to provide all remaining maps of landmines in Lebanon. He said: "Displaced
Lebanese people now returning to South Lebanon are going back to a dangerous
environment where unexploded ammunition and land mines can cause great harm,
especially to children at play." It is estimated that around 10% of ammunition
did not explode when fired.
Visit to Haifa
The two EU representatives also went to Haifa to visit houses damaged by
Hezbollah rockets and talked to families whose homes were destroyed.
Commissioner Michel strongly condemned all attacks on civilian targets,
stressing that people had suffered on all sides. In Haifa's Rambam hospital
(below),
which itself had been in the firing line of Hezbollah rockets, they visited
injured soldiers.
Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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