Dateline ACT

Lebanon 01/06

ACT International team in Lebanon to support work of local member

Geneva, 31 July 2006

By Dominic Nutt, ACT International

Beirut, Lebanon, July 31, 2006—A coordination assessment team for the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International today arrived in the Lebanese capital Beirut to support the work of its local member Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

Aid agencies have been struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people from southern Lebanon who had fled the Israeli ground and air bombardment, which commenced in response to the kidnapping of two Israeli soldier by the Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah.

The arrival of the ACT coordination assessment team comes at a crucial time.

Today, the Israeli Defense Force announced all air bombardments of the south would stop--though military commanders have reserved the right to deploy ground troops and use land and sea-based artillery.

This announcement comes after Israeli forces fired a missile at the southern Lebanese village of Qana, killing around 60 civilians. Some journalists have reported this may be the beginning of an Israeli cease-fire--although the BBC today reported from Qana that shells were still landing in the area.

William Bell, a Middle East expert from the UK-based ACT member Christian Aid said, "I hope this moratorium is genuine. If this doesn't develop into a full cease fire, then this will turn out to be a cynical move to attempt to address the balance for the killing of innocent people in the south who are either too old, too poor or too inform to escape the fight."

Tomorrow (Tuesday, August 1) a United Nations food convoy is heading into southern Lebanon to strike advantage of the moratorium.

"If the Israelis then start attacking from the air after 48 hours is up, are they then saying that they are allowing aid workers in to feed the population before they start shelling them again," said Bell.

Dominic Nutt is part of ACT member Christian Aid's media team and has been seconded to the ACT Coordination Assessment Team, which is led by John Damerell. The third person in the team is Rolf Berglund from ACT member Church of Sweden.