Tension surmounting in Lebanon threatening the cease fire

Tension is escalating in Lebanon, threatening to undo the shaky cease–fire between Israel and Hezbollah as the international community responds with calls for peacekeeping troops and humanitarian aid.

The relative peace between Israel and Hezbollah was tested Wednesday when Israeli troops fired into a disputed border region in response to what it said was an attack from inside Lebanon, reported The Associated Press.

As fears run high that violence might re–erupt, officials and world religious leaders are demanding for the quick deployment of peacekeeping troops as well as aid.

The Board of the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions (CPWR) issued a statement last week proposing four steps toward lasting peace including “immediate humanitarian relief for civilian populations affected together with rebuilding of civilian infrastructure.” A letter from the CPWR Board Chair with the statement enclosed was sent to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Aid has been reaching the civilian population even prior to the cease–fire. Among the active groups working to deliver desperately needed items in Lebanon is World Vision. WV will distribute water, food, hygiene kits and expand child–focused programs and protection, including psychosocial activities and Child Friendly Spaces.

“I and many other Lebanese are cautiously optimistic that the ceasefire will hold together,” said Tony Matar, World Vision Lebanon operations director in a report released on Tuesday. “And if it does, God willing, we will finally have the opportunity to step up our relief efforts in a very significant way throughout the country.

“An urgent priority is to assist many of the 100,000 people in southern Lebanon who have been increasingly isolated by conflict, and well beyond our reach over the last three weeks.”

World Vision is focusing on providing relief efforts to the hundreds of thousands of former displaced people returning after the cease–fire.

Medical Assistance Program (MAP) International aims to extend healthcare to more than 100,000 civilians by shipping tons of medicine and emergency medical supplies to the affected region.

“The amount of destruction has been incredible and will cost billions to repair,” said MAP president Michael Nyenhuis in a statement on Tuesday. “As is often the case in such situations, the civilians suffer tremendously. Their houses have been destroyed, friends and family members have been killed, they themselves may have been wounded. With the healthcare system rendered largely ineffective, it is imperative that MAP step in and help save lives.”

MAP is working with several partner organizations in Lebanon including YMCA–Lebanon and World Vision. Other Christian organizations that have assisted MAP include Food for the Hungry and World Relief.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli troops still remain in southern Lebanon as they wait for U.N. peacekeeping force to move into the region between Israel and Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Israel’s foreign minister urged the international community to quickly deploy peacekeeping troops and called the situation in Lebanon “explosive.”

Israel and U.N. officials are still hammering out details of the U.N. Security Council resolution and the deployment policy.