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News Iraq: putting the health-care system back on its feet 29-7-2010 Operational update Includes Photo 29-7-2010 News release Section ICRC operations in the Middle East and North Africa Activities throughout the world: a country-by-country round-up of the ICRC’s work in the Middle East and North Africa. ICRC / J. Chung / il-e-01865
Hebron's old city, West Bank
The ICRC remains committed to helping people who suffer from both today's violence in the region and the consequences of past conflicts. It does so through its operational activities and its efforts to promote respect for international humanitarian law (IHL).
The ICRC's long-standing presence in the region has allowed it to continue working throughout ongoing armed conflicts such as Iraq, Yemen and the Palestinian territories, and to intervene rapidly when new outbreaks of violence occur. The ICRC urges authorities to bring national law into line with IHL treaties and include it in military and other education programmes. Throughout the region it works with the national societies and supports their work.
 Key document1-7-2010 Gaza: ailing health-care system puts lives at risk The steady deterioration of the health-care system has become one of the most worrying issues in Gaza, explains Eileen Daly, who has overseen the ICRC's health activities in the West Bank and Gaza since September 2006. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Interview Includes Photo 28-6-2010 Iraq: helping detainees and their families Laurent Saugy spent two years in Iraq coordinating the ICRC’s work for detainees and other people protected by international humanitarian law. He replies to questions about the challenges the ICRC faces in this area of its activities. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Interview Includes Photo 23-6-2010 Gaza: ICRC remains determined to help Gilad ShalitIt has been almost four years since Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured. The ICRC has never slackened its efforts to help him. Béatrice Mégevand-Roggo, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East, tells us more. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Israel) Interview 14-6-2010 Gaza closure: not another year! Humanitarian aid cannot address the hardship faced by Gaza's 1.5 million people. The only sustainable solution is to lift the closure. The blockade imposed on Gaza is about to enter its fourth year, thwarting any real chance of economic development. As Gazans endure unemployment, poverty and warfare, the quality of their health care has reached an all-time low. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) News release 14-6-2010 An end to the Gaza closure The closure imposed on the Gaza Strip is about to enter its fourth year, choking off any real possibility of economic development. The whole of Gaza's civilian population is being punished for acts for which they bear no responsibility. The closure therefore constitutes a collective punishment imposed in clear violation of Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law. Béatrice Mégevand-Roggo, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East, calls on the Israeli authorities to end the closure imposed on Gaza and to open the way for its people to live normal lives again. (Info resources\Video) Video Collection Includes Video Annual Report19-5-2010 Middle East & North Africa - ICRC Annual Report 2009In 2009, the ICRC maintained a strong presence and wide operational reach in order to meet the multiple urgent needs of thousands of victims of past and current conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. It did so through a wide range of protection and assistance activities accompanied by preventive action to secure stronger support for and stricter compliance with IHL. ICRC action varied according to the operational objectives in each context but in all cases was rooted in the organization’s neutral, independent and impartial approach to its strictly humanitarian mission. (Info resources\Annual Report\2009) Annual Report Includes PDF Event7-5-2010 Egypt: Arab parliamentarians seek better implementation of international humanitarian lawA major conference of Arab members of parliament on the implementation of international humanitarian law took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 4 to 6 May. The conference was organized by the ICRC in cooperation with the Egyptian People's Assembly and the Arab Parliamentary Union (APU). (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Egypt) Event Includes Photo Feature30-7-2010 Lebanon: cluster munitions set to haunt civilians for years to comeLebanon is one of the 107 States that signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which entered into force today. Four years after the five-week conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, unexploded cluster munitions continue to kill and maim civilians. Israel used cluster munitions containing up to four million individual bomblets, of which hundreds of thousands failed to explode on impact. These devices contaminated an area of 43 square kilometres in and around the villages of southern Lebanon. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Lebanon) Feature 16-6-2010 Kuwait-Iraq: still missing since the 1990-1991 Gulf WarToday, hundreds of Kuwaitis and Iraqis are still missing in connection with the 1990-1991 Gulf War. To support efforts to find and recover their remains, and inform families about their missing loved ones, the ICRC and the Technical Sub-Committee of the Tripartite Commission responsible for addressing this issue organized the second technical meeting for forensic technicians. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Kuwait) Feature Includes Photo 19-5-2010 Gaza-Jordan: mother and daughter reunited after ten years of pain As part of the ICRC’s standing efforts to restore family links between relatives separated by conflict, it recently brought an ageing mother from Gaza to live with her daughter in Amman, in Jordan, after ten years apart. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Feature Includes Photo 22-4-2010 Occupied Golan: apple transfer operation coming to an end It's a rare sight to see the Kuneitra Crossing, between the occupied Golan and Syria proper, bustling with activity. For the past seven weeks, large white trucks emblazoned with the ICRC emblem have been driving back and forth across the 1974 demarcation line as part of a rather unique humanitarian operation aimed at giving a boost to Golan apple farmers. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Syria) Feature Includes Photo 2-3-2010 Iraq: making the best of a bad situation After decades of war in Iraq, many families are destitute or living in poverty. Many male breadwinners have been detained or killed or have disappeared. ICRC delegate Caroline Douilliez met with two Iraqi women, who told her how they ensure their family's survival. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Feature Includes Photo 5-2-2010 Lebanon: a mother waits for news from Yemen Last July, a Red Cross message finally put Hajje Mariam back in touch with the daughter she last saw in 1982. Weeks later, all contact ceased, a bitter blow for this Palestinian refugee. Khadija left Lebanon 28 years ago at the height of the 1982 war with Israel. Now another war, this time in northern Yemen, has dashed Hajje Mariam’s hopes of seeing her again. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Lebanon) Feature Includes Photo 8-10-2009 Yemen: stories of women displaced by war Tens of thousands of Yemenis have fled the fighting of recent months. Some of them have taken refuge in schools. In Khaiwan Medina in the north of Amran governorate, five families are living in the village school. Each of them occupies one small classroom, with no toilet or window. Most people could take very little as they scrambled to escape the fighting. The ICRC has provided mattresses, stoves, tarpaulins and food. But now the families are under pressure, as the school year is starting and they are being asked to leave. Three women talk about their flight, and about life as a displaced family. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Yemen) Feature Includes Photo 25-9-2009 Yemen: civilians increasingly at risk as conflict intensifies While fighting has been intensifying over the past days in most areas in Northern Yemen and civilian lives are increasingly at risk, thousands of people are dependant on humanitarian aid. In order to survive, people often have no other choice left than to flee towards safer areas. Families on the move are lacking even the bare necessities. Pregnant women, children and elderly are among the most vulnerable. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Yemen) Feature Includes Photo 16-10-2008 Twenty years after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, tens of thousands of combatants still unaccounted for On 16 October the governments of Iran and Iraq, together with the ICRC, signed a memorandum of understanding that represents an important step towards easing the heavy burden of tens of thousands of bereaved Iraqi and Iranian families. The document establishes a clear framework for collecting information and sharing it between the two countries, and for handing over mortal remains. These tasks will be performed jointly by experts from both countries with ICRC support. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa) Feature Includes Photo Field newsletter10-2-2010 ICRC activities in Iraq in 2009 – Facts and figures Iraq remains one of the ICRC's biggest operations worldwide. From its main delegation in Baghdad and other offices countrywide, the organization visits detainees, restores links between dispersed families, helps internally displaced people and residents restore livelihoods and runs health and rehabilitation projects in favour of the civilian population. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Field newsletter Includes PDF 13-8-2009 Iraq: civilians without protection The ICRC delegation in Iraq seize the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions to stress that the basic rules of the law of armed conflict remain as important as ever and that Iraqi civilians must be spared the effects of hostilities. Through the testimonies presented in this newsletter Iraqi men and women explain how recent events have affected them and their families. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Field newsletter Includes PDF Interview23-3-2010 Gaza: ICRC continues to press for access to Gilad ShalitBéatrice Mégevand-Roggo, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East and North Africa, talks about the ICRC's unremitting efforts to gain access to Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured in June 2006, while maintaining contact with all concerned, including Mr Shalit's family. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Israel) Interview 25-11-2009 Harvesting olives in the West Bank: not as simple as it sounds In the occupied West Bank, an estimated 10 million olive trees help some 100,000 families to make ends meet. For a number of years, the harvest has been hampered by restricted access. Tom Glue, who coordinates the ICRC's economic security programme in the territory, explains. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Interview Includes Photo 22-10-2009 Iraq: the ICRC's response to recent events in AshrafSince late July, a series of events have taken place in Ashraf, about 80 km north of Baghdad, where several thousand Iranian nationals are living. Confrontations have resulted in people being killed, injured or detained. Juan-Pedro Schaerer, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Iraq, gives us an update on the role of the ICRC. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Interview 28-9-2009 Yemen: the ICRC faces increasing challenges in providing vital aid The welfare of civilians in northern Yemen is becoming a greater concern amid continuing conflict. According to Jean-Nicolas Marti, ICRC head of delegation in Yemen, the organization has worked for weeks under extremely harsh conditions, with severely restricted access to people in need. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Yemen) Interview Includes Photo 8-6-2009 West Bank: illegal settlements cause hardship for Palestinians Settler violence and severe restrictions on movement are affecting the daily lives of Palestinians in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, especially in the old town of Hebron. Matteo Benatti has been head of the ICRC's office in Hebron since September 2007. He explains the situation. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Interview Includes Photo Operational update29-7-2010 Iraq: putting the health-care system back on its feet Despite some recent improvements, Iraq's health-care services are still struggling to cope. The ICRC is engaged in a wide range of initiatives aimed at helping them to respond to emergencies. This is an update on activities carried out in the country in May and June. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Operational update 10-6-2010 ICRC activities in Lebanon from January 2009 to April 2010The ICRC in Lebanon remains focused on visiting detainees to assess their treatment and living conditions, improving medical care for Palestinian refugees, assisting the authorities in rehabilitating water infrastructure and maintaining an operational capacity to respond to emergencies alongside the Lebanese Red Cross and the Palestine Red Crescent Society-Lebanon branch. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Lebanon) Operational update Includes PDF 14-5-2010 Iraq: water formerly a blessing, increasingly a problemMillions of people in Iraq cannot get clean water or water in sufficient quantity. The ICRC is doing its best to improve access to safe water. This is an update on ICRC activities carried out in Iraq in March and April. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq) Operational update Includes Photo 29-4-2010 Israel and the occupied territories: violence claims more lives as blockade continues to stifle Gaza Restrictions on transfers into Gaza of supplies and on freedom of movement continue to plague the daily lives of Palestinians. This is an update on ICRC activities carried out in Israel and the occupied territories during the first quarter of 2010. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Israel) Operational update 1-4-2010 Yemen: ICRC gets clearer picture of destruction and steps up response ICRC expatriate personnel recently managed to return to Sa'ada and join forces with the staff permanently based there. This has enabled the ICRC to better pinpoint needs and to respond accordingly. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Yemen) Operational update Includes Photo 2-3-2010 ICRC activities in Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia – 2009An overview of the ICRC's main activities during 2009 in the countries covered by the Tunis regional delegation: visiting detainees, restoring family links, supporting efforts to establish the fate of people who went missing during the conflict in Western Sahara and assisting mine victims from the same conflict. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Tunisia) Operational update Includes Photo 2-3-2010 Occupied Golan: ICRC mitigates some effects of occupation Life is complicated for Syrian Arabs in the occupied Golan. Even something as basic as getting apples to Syrian markets requires the intervention of the ICRC in its capacity as a neutral intermediary. In addition to maintaining this vital logistical link, the ICRC helps families either side of the separation line to keep in touch by facilitating weddings and humanitarian visits, and by acting as a courier for essential legal documents. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Syria) Operational update Includes Photo 16-2-2010 Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory: life remains hard for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank The vast majority of Palestinians continued to endure restrictions on their movements. Farmers faced difficulties every day as they tried to reach their land isolated behind the West Bank Barrier and around Israeli settlements, while Palestinians separated from the rest of the West Bank by the Barrier found it particularly hard to obtain essential services, such as medical treatment. This is an update on the humanitarian situation and ICRC activities in the occupied West Bank during 2009. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Operational update Includes Photo 22-12-2009 Gaza: one year after war, still no prospect of decent life Nearly a year after the devastating three-week military operation in the Gaza Strip that began on 27 December 2008, most of the 1.5 million people in the territory are still struggling to rebuild their lives and their economy. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Operational update Photo Collection13-6-2010 Health care in Gaza reaches all-time low  The closure imposed on Gaza three years ago and the effects of Israel's military operation in the winter of 2009 are crippling both industry and agriculture and stifling employment. Today, there are major humanitarian concerns regarding health issues, water and sanitation conditions and the level of unemployment and poverty. (Info resources\Photos\Middle East and North Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo 16-2-2010 Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory: West Bank life in the shadows of the settlements Life is hard for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. Restrictions on movement and violence from settlers often make it difficult to earn a living or obtain essential services. (Info resources\Photos\Middle East and North Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo 22-12-2009 Gaza: the outlook remains bleak  Twelve months after Israel's three week offensive in the Gaza Strip, these images show that its 1.5 million people are still finding it difficult to rebuild an economy that was fragile enough even before the military operation. (Info resources\Photos\Middle East and North Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo 8-10-2009 ICRC and Red Crescent aid displaced people in northern Yemen The situation in northern Yemen has deteriorated dramatically in recent weeks, with tens of thousands forced to flee the conflict zones. To meet the most urgent needs, the ICRC and the Yemen Red Crescent Society are distributing food and other essentials to thousands of displaced people and the families hosting them. (Info resources\Photos\Middle East and North Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo 17-9-2009 Iraq: families make their final visits to relatives detained in Bucca For families who used to visit their relatives detained in Bucca, southern Iraq, the journey was always long, perilous and costly, but well worth it. Since October 2005, the ICRC had helped make the journey possible, not least by covering part of the costs. In September 2009, with the American facility at Camp Bucca set to close down, the ICRC ended its family-visit allowance programme. During the four years that the programme ran, almost 30,000 detained people received 146,000 visits from their relatives with ICRC support. (Info resources\Photos\Middle East and North Africa) Photo Collection Includes Photo Press briefing25-1-2010 Yemen: a serious humanitarian crisis in the making The ICRC is stepping up efforts to respond to a worsening humanitarian situation in northern Yemen. Just back from a trip to Yemen where he met with tribal leaders and government authorities, Dominik Stillhart, the ICRC's deputy director of operations, explained at a press conference in Geneva how these efforts are severely hampered by security concerns. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Yemen) Press briefing Includes Photo Report29-6-2009 Gaza: 1.5 million people trapped in despairSix months after Israel launched its three-week military operation in Gaza on 27 December 2008, Gazans still cannot rebuild their lives. Most people struggle to make ends meet. Seriously ill patients face difficulty obtaining the treatment they need. Many children suffer from deep psychological problems. Civilians whose homes and belongings were destroyed during the conflict are unable to recover. (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Palestine) Report Includes Photo Video Collection17-2-2010 West Bank: life on the margins for the E'beed Stuck between an Israeli settlement overlooking their houses and a military checkpoint, the E'beeds face stringent restrictions on their movements. Access to the nearest Palestinian village for work health care and schooling is a recurrent problem. They survive without basic services, in crumbling houses. The family is expanding but they are not allowed to build new houses or even make repairs. (Info resources\Video) Video Collection Includes Video 29-9-2009 Yemen: relief assistance to people displaced by the conflict Fighting has been intensifying in northern Yemen. Often people have no choice but to flee to safer areas. The ICRC and the Yemeni Red Crescent have organized distributions of essentials household items for about 30,000 people so far. On 18 September 2009 aid was handed out in Khaiwan town. (Info resources\Video) Video Collection Includes Video 16-9-2009 Missing persons: focus on Iraq During the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), the ICRC registered almost 40,000 Iranian and more than 67,000 Iraqi prisoners of war. Many of them were voluntarily repatriated, but tens of thousands of soldiers remain unaccounted for today. (Info resources\Video) Video Collection Includes Video  |
