Outrageous!

Update August 10 - For information about an international aid convoy planned for Saturday, Aug. 12, read updates at http://www.lebanonsolidarity.org. Thanks to Mirvat for the link.

So much for Israel's promises to allow humanitarian aid into Lebanon. The Independent in London reports that the United Nations "was forced to halt all attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to the thousands of civilians stranded in southern Lebanon last night, despite repeated Israeli assurances of secure corridors. The move, echoed by major aid agencies, followed Israeli threats to destroy any vehicle operating south of the Litani river." Jack Redden, from the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said, "In many places, particularly in the far south, it is completely impossible to get anything into that area."

"The head of Médecins Sans Frontières' (MSF) mission in Lebanon, Christopher Stokes, described Israeli assurances of protected aid corridors as delusional. "For many days, the concept of humanitarian corridors has been used to mask the reality," he said. "It is impossible to get safe access to the villages in the south." Read the full story here and here in journalist Robert Fisk's article "Israel's promise of humanitarian corridors is exposed as a sham."

Comments

[Marilyn]

You know what made me sad to read this? I may just be cynical...but I honestly think that the majority of Americans really don't care very much about what's happening in the Middle East right now. Sometimes I get lost in my bubble because I'm communicating among people who share MY beliefs (and I live in a liberal university town), but there are lots of Bush lovers out there and I honestly believe that many of them simply don't care if "those people" live or die. Sorry to be a downer in your comments...but sometimes I get so frustrated that Americans can so easily live such insular lives.

[Tammy]

I can't say I'm shocked :(

[Sophie]

woops - did i say
"leaders?"

i meant - followers.

[Sophie]

Shame on our leaders.

[ian russell]

yes, outrageous! disgusting that our leaders are not showing more forceful objection to such atrocities.

[AnnieElf]

I just finished pouring over Mirvat's blog. When the news doesn't ring true, your site and Mirvat's give us reality checks.

[mirvat]

I found it very disturbing that Neil would still ask this question.

"In 2003, an Israeli soldier shot British ISM activist Tom Hurndall as he helped Palestinian children cross the road to avoid gunfire in the Gaza Strip. Hurndall later died. An Israeli military tribunal sentenced his killer to eight years in jail."

"The same year, 23-year-old U.S. activist Rachel Corrie was killed by an IDF bulldozer while trying to stop the IDF military from demolishing Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. An Israel probe concluded Corrie's death was an accident."

this was taken from haaretz, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=747879&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1

Tara thank you for this post and by the way in response to that, please be a witness to this call for action:

http://www.lebanonsolidarity.org/

There's a convoy of 100 or more cars driving down to the south of Lebanon on saturday, August 12th, which marks the one-month anniversary of the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. To defy the Israeli order that all cars south of the Litani river will be considered legitimate targets (including in andaround the port city of Tyre), and the forced displacement of 1 million Lebanese from their homes, the convoy will carry Lebanese citizens, foreigners from all over the world and food, sanitary and medical supplies;all aid to the south has been suspended, and tens of thousands of people andmany hospitals remain trapped without access to basic necessities.

The Lebanese Ministry of Energy is supplying fuel for the convoy, Norwegianand Swiss NGOs are donating funds for food and medicine. Lebanese TVstations will accompany the convoy; we are trying to get American andEuropean media outlets to do the same, to ensure our safe passage, which ofcourse is not ensured. The Israeli government will not be directly contactednor asked for permission or safe passage, but the Israeli media (Haaretz)has already reported on the upcoming event.Please forward widely to individuals, protest organizers who wish tocoordinate their events by livefeed with the convoy, and media outlets.The success and safety of the operation depends on it.

[AscenderRisesAbove]

every day so much more sad news; so many things to be upset about. I wonder about those not enraged; are they not paying attention - or have they numbed themselves and therefore a part of ti?

[jzr]

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

George Orwell

Why are people so blind?

Thanks for your work, keeping us informed.

[Neil]

That's terrible if true. But why would they do that?