Humanitarian Response to the 2006 Lebanese / Israeli Conflict

In 2006, the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers patrolling the Lebanese-Israeli border. Israel responded with large-scale bombing of Lebanon’s major bridges, cities, main airports, sea port and all commercial borders. The fighting resulted in approximately one million internally displaced people, 30,000 homes destroyed, over 1,000 dead, and around 5,000 injured. International humanitarian agencies faced major logistical challenges in reaching the affected areas amidst the destruction. However, with the support of the Lebanese diaspora they managed to liaise with NGOs which had been founded during the civil war era.

This case serves to highlight the difficulties of delivering humanitarian aid in a conflict zone. Through the narrative, students are able to understand the way the complexity and impact of security issues can block access to potential beneficiaries. The case also serves to discuss local coping mechanisms as it describes how the Lebanese community responded voluntarily to the needs of the people and helped to re-establish normality in the shortest possible time