2007 Lebanon Emergency

First meeting:

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee have the pleasure to invite you to attend a town hall meeting on the return toáNahr el-Bared campáand other related issues, in the presence of Richard Cook, Director of UNRWA Affairs and Ziad Sayegh, the consultant to the Chairman of the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee Ambassador Khalil Makkawiá

Venue: Condolence hall, next to Palestine soccer field, Beddawi camp. Date: Thursday 30 August 2007 from 11:00 to 12:30.

Venue: Second public preparatory school for girls in Tripoli.

Date: Thursday 30 August 2007 from 13:30 to 15:00

Situation in the north: Heavy shelling and clashes took place in the remaining of NBC controlled by Fatah Al-Islam; Lebanese Army Helicopter gun ships participated in the shelling. One Katuysha rocket was launched at a house in Bebnin village causing material damage. It is estimated 5,500 families have left Nahr el-Bared Camp. UNRWAÆs Emergency Operations continue in north Lebanon area. In Beddawi Camp all UNRWA installations (other than schools) are operating normally. Today at 10:00, after a call from DFLP and Right to Return Committee about 50 Palestinian refugees staged a one-hour sit-in in front of the CSO asking for the return to Nahr el-Bared camp after fire cease. UNRWA efforts continue to find alternative accommodation for some families near Beddawi Camp to ease the pressure.

Situation in central Lebanon area: UNRWA installations are operating normally.

Situation in BeqaÆa: All UNRWA operations in the BeqaÆa area are functioning normally.

Situation in Tyre: All installations are operating normally.

Situation in Saida: UNRWA installations operating normally.

With the crisis in northern Lebanon in its fourth month, UNRWA, the UN Agency responsible for Palestine refugees is collaborating with the community to investigate temporary shelter options for those who have been displaced from their homes in Nahr el-Bared camp.

As part of its efforts to assist the displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp, UNRWA Lebanon, in coordination with ACTED (ngo) constructed a prototype as an example of possible temporary shelter to be offered to the displaced until Nahr el-Bared is reconstructed.

The sample shelter was constructed in Beddawi camp to allow the displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp to see not only how the shelter is constructed, but whether it is appropriate for their purposes. The shelter will also be taken to other Palestine refugee camps of Lebanon that are currently hosting displaced families to hear their views.

Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Richard Cook supports a participatory approach to the overall look of the prototype.

ôThis is a very important step as it allows the displaced community to have a voice on what the temporary shelter will look like. We welcome their feedback,ö he said.

The plan for temporary shelter forms part an overall return plan for the refugees of Nahr el-Bared camp.

As UNRWA has previously stated, once fighting has ceased a proper assessment can be made and the full extent of damage to the camp will be known

Situation in the north: Intermittent shelling and clashes took place in the remaining Fatah al-Islam positions. Fatah al Islam has asked for the evacuation of their families from Nahr el-Bared Camp. UNRWAÆs Emergency Operations continue in north Lebanon area. In Beddawi Camp all UNRWA installations (other than schools) are operating normally.

Situation in central Beirut area: UNRWA installations are operating normally.

Situation in BeqaÆa: All UNRWA operations in the BeqaÆa area are functioning normally.

Situation in Tyre: All installations are operating normally.

Situation in Saida: UNRWA installations operating normally.

Situation in the north: Intermittent shelling and clashes took place in the remaining Fatah al-Islam positions. Fatah al-Islam has asked for the evacuation of their families from Nahr el-Bared Camp. The media reported that the Lebanese Army accepted, but no information was given on when and how the evacuation will take place. UNRWAÆs Emergency Operations continue in north Lebanon area. In Beddawi Camp all UNRWA installations (other than schools) are operating normally. UNRWA efforts continue to find alternative accommodation for some families near Beddawi Camp to ease the overcrowding. So far, the Agency is faced with reluctance from displaced families to vacate school premises. They believe if they leave now their cause will be forgotten and they will never return to Nahr el-Bared. The Agency has, however, had extensive discussions with community representatives and a combination of solutions has been agreed, including rental subsidies and temporary accommodation.

Situation in central Lebanon area: UNRWA installations are operating normally.

Situation in BeqaÆa: All UNRWA operations in the BeqaÆa area are functioning normally.

Situation in Tyre: All installations are operating normally.

Situation in Saida: UNRWA installations operating normally.

Situation in the north: Heavy shelling and clashes took place in the remaining Fatah al-Islam positions. It is estimated 6,083 families have left Nahr el-Bared Camp. UNRWAÆs Emergency Operations continue in north Lebanon area. In Beddawi Camp all UNRWA installations (other than schools) are operating normally. To date, 5,045 families are accommodated in the north Lebanon area, out of which 324 families are accommodated in six Government Schools in Beddawi town. UNRWA efforts continue to find alternative accommodation for some families near Beddawi Camp to ease the pressure.

Situation in central Lebanon area: UNRWA installations are operating normally. Some 401 displaced families from Nahr el-Bared Camp have arrived in central Lebanon area (Beirut) so far.

Situation in BeqaÆa: All UNRWA operations in the BeqaÆa area are functioning normally. On 16 August, a bomb exploded at a junk yard of a store that sells scrap material in Deir Zanoun. The bomb was inside a barrel full of scrap; this barrel was reportedly brought in from Iraq and sold as a scrap. One person was killed and four were injured. A total of 71 displaced families have arrived in the BeqaÆa area.

Situation in Tyre: All installations operating normally. On 14 August a personal dispute took place between a drunken person and his family, consequently the drunken person hurled a sound bomb on a field opposite to a gathering for Palestinian refugees in Qasmiyeh. No casualties were reported. A total of 182 displaced families from Nahr el-Bared Camp arrived in the Tyre area.

Situation in Saida: UNRWA installations operating normally. A total of 384 displaced families from Nahr el-Bared camp arrived in the Saida area.