In the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the ICRC continued to deal with the consequences in humanitarian terms of the Israeli occupation of part of southern Lebanon, the so-called security zone. Civilians living in the occupied area and north of the front line were once more affected by sporadic military operations, and the Israeli navy maintained its blockade on the southern part of the Lebanese coastline.

Operation Grapes of Wrath

At the beginning of April, tension increased significantly and, following several incidents between the Israeli army and armed groups, the Israeli army launched the two-week Operation Grapes of Wrath. The price paid by civilians was high: 170 Lebanese dead (more than 100 of whom died in the shelling of the Qana UNIFIL compound), 350 wounded, 350,000 displaced, and hundreds of houses damaged or destroyed; on the Israeli side, over 60 people were wounded and some 20,000 displaced.

During and after the military operations, the ICRC provided protection and assistance to those civilians who had remained in the area of southern Lebanon under fire and to displaced people who were sheltering in public places in Sidon, Beirut, the Chouf and the Bekaa valley. In doing so, it cooperated closely with the Lebanese Red Cross Society and maintained close contact with the Federation (see below). The ICRC also worked in coordination with Lebanese government bodies, the local NGOs active in the field and UN agencies (UNDP,* UNICEF* and UNIFIL*). It provided health facilities in southern Lebanon with emergency items to enable them to cope with the influx of wounded and to continue routine treatment for those who had stayed in the area. When the hostilities ceased, the ICRC distributed medical supplies to all health facilities along the front line to help them to replenish their stocks.

On 16 April the ICRC issued a solemn reminder to the warring parties of their duty to comply with the rules of humanitarian law intended to protect all victims of armed conflicts. On 19 April it publicly condemned the shelling of civilians in the UNIFIL base in Qana and stressed the absolute ban on indiscriminate attacks. It also made representations to the belligerents, urging them, in particular, to give civilians and medical facilities and vehicles the respect to which they are entitled.

Protection of civilians and detainees

More than two weeks after Operation Grapes of Wrath had started, a de facto cease-fire was established and civilians on either side of the Israeli-Lebanese border were no longer to come under attack. A monitoring committee composed of representatives from France, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and the United States was set up to supervise its implementation. Towards the end of the year tension was again mounting in southern Lebanon, and several complaints regarding failure to respect the agreement were examined by the committee. In December, Lebanese civilians were injured by IDF shelling, while unknown fighters fired a Katyusha rocket at northern Israel.

To protect the civilian population, ICRC delegates in the occupied zone in southern Lebanon collected information on alleged violations of humanitarian law, and representations were made to the parties to the conflict urging them to spare civilian lives and property. The delegation had negotiated security guarantees with all the parties in order to carry out its humanitarian activities and give medical and material assistance to civilians living on the front line and near the Israeli-occupied zone. It ran five mobile clinics to serve seven villages in and close to the occupied zone.

Whenever civilians in Israel fell victim to rocket attacks by armed groups, as in April in particular, the ICRC delegation in Tel Aviv provided information to the Beirut delegation so that the appropriate representations could be made.

ICRC delegates paid regular visits to prisoners held in the Khiam detention centre in the Israeli-occupied territory. Ways of improving treatment and conditions of detention were discussed with the authorities, and assistance was distributed to the detainees. Families of detainees benefited from a family visit programme set up and facilitated by the ICRC, and Red Cross messages exchanged between detainees and their families. Detainees also received parcels from their relatives.

On 21 July, following an agreement negotiated under the auspices of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, and at the request of the parties concerned, the ICRC supervised the simultaneous release of 62 prisoners and the repatriation of the mortal remains of 125 people in the hands of Israel, the SLA and Hezbollah. The operation ended years of uncertainty for families on both sides as to the fate of their relatives (see box).
One of the two Palestinian ex-detainees deported by Israel to southern Lebanon in April 1995 in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention remained stranded in the UNIFIL compound in Naqoura, despite the ICRC's efforts to enable him to return home. ICRC delegates visited him regularly to collect and deliver Red Cross messages and give assistance.

Palestinian refugee camps

A source of concern for the ICRC in Lebanon was the precarious and deteriorating situation of some 350,000 Palestinians living in refugee camps, most of them since 1948. UNWRA* assisted them by providing health care and education. The potential for violence remained strong, owing to political differences and the severe frustration rife amongst the refugees. The ICRC distributed emergency supplies to medical facilities in the camps.

Cooperation within the Movement

During Operation Grapes of Wrath, the ICRC worked closely with the Lebanese Red Cross Society. The National Society performed outstanding services in April: it mobilized over 600 first-aid volunteers, carried out emergency transfers of sick and wounded people and blood supplies, collected the dead and ran more than 200 first-aid posts and 130 mobile clinics.

The ICRC supported the National Society's ambulance service and its community health centres situated inside the occupied zone.

Close contacts were maintained with the Federation throughout the year, but especially in April; the Federation continued to support the institutional development of the Lebanese Red Cross, as well as its primary health care and blood bank activities. This close cooperation and exchange of information enabled all the components of the Movement to avoid duplication.


IN 1996 THE ICRC:

- carried out 39 visits to 248 detainees in the Khiam detention centre, including 90 who were newly registered;

- arranged for 87 released detainees to be transferred out of the Israeli-occupied zone, organized visits by 1,177 people to their relatives held in the Khiam detention centre; forwarded 6,465 Red Cross messages to or from detainees and issued 447 certificates of detention;

- acted as a neutral intermediary in the release of 45 people from the Khiam detention centre and the handing over of 18 bodies by the SLA to the ICRC; in the release of 17 SLA prisoners and the handing over of the mortal remains of 2 Israeli servicemen by Hezbollah; and in the handing over by the Israeli authorities of the mortal remains of 105 people, including those of Hezbollah combatants;

- provided needy families of detainees held in Israel and the Khiam detention centre with ad hoc assistance.


- restored and maintained links between family members separated as a result of the conflict by forwarding 1,320 Red Cross messages.


- made representations to the parties to the conflict when civilians were victims of failure to respect humanitarian law, both during Operation Grapes of Wrath and when any other incidents were brought to its attention.


- during and after the major military operations in April, distributed relief supplies to benefit 225,000 people, mainly in the area affected by military activities in southern Lebanon and in centres where displaced people had gathered (Sidon, Beirut, Chouf, Bekaa);

- provided ad hoc assistance to victims of the conflict and inhabitants of villages cut off because of it.


- provided ad hoc medical assistance to hospitals, dispensaries and first-aid posts along the front line between the Israeli-occupied zone and the rest of the country, and ran five ICRC mobile clinics in the area, which gave 2,846 consultations;

- during Operation Grapes of Wrath, extended this assistance to all medical facilities treating the wounded or the displaced who had sought shelter in public places: in all, 96 facilities were assisted;

- provided Palestinian hospitals and dispensaries in refugee camps with emergency assistance.



- helped to maintain the operational capacity of the Lebanese Red Cross Society in the occupied zone by providing financial and material support for its first-aid services in areas affected by conflict, and medical supplies for its dispensaries;

- supported the National Society's dissemination, volunteer training and communication activities.


- promoted knowledge of and respect for international humanitarian law and the principles and rules of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by maintaining and developing contacts with the media and organizing courses for the armed forces, representatives of UNIFIL, combatants from armed groups, and universities; teaching of international humantarian law was incorporated in the training programmes for all Lebanese armed forces;

- gave a lecture on the application of international humanitarian law for some 60 high-ranking officers from the Lebanese army at a seminar organized by the army at the military academy in Beirut in September.


- arranged for the national TV channel "Tl-Liban" to broadcast a two-hour live programme on the problem of landmines in Lebanon, drawing attention to the ICRC's worldwide anti-landmines campaign.