A Catholic charity has called for more help for Lebanon’s Christian population, which together with many others within the country, is combating the impact of the conflict with Israel.
According to United Nations estimates, over 1,000,000 people in Lebanon, representing 1 / 4 of the population, have been displaced consequently of the conflict. The UN also estimates that almost a 3rd of the Lebanese population is now facing food insecurity.
Israeli forces invaded southern Lebanon in October last yr after a yr of conflict with the militant group Hezbollah. Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel from Lebanon following the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas.
In response, Israel has carried out aerial bombardments and assassinations in Lebanon, in addition to a widely publicised operation during which 1000’s of rigged pagers carried by Hezbollah operatives exploded concurrently, killing 42 people and injuring 1000’s.
The effects of the conflict have been profound on the continuing civilian population.
Marielle Boutros, a project coordinator in Lebanon for ACN, said, “The war was hell for us. Every Christian here has thought of leaving the country … Many individuals are still struggling … and the situation is anything but easy – often there isn’t any longer enough money at the tip of the month for food.”
According to Boutros, many individuals within the country have now lost their jobs and agricultural land has suffered “lasting destruction” on account of the usage of phosphorus bombs.
She said, “ACN emergency relief projects will subsequently proceed to be of crucial for months after the ceasefire. For example, support for Catholic schools is important because many families cannot afford to pay tuition fees for his or her children and money can be lacking for teachers’ salaries.”
ACN has also been involved in handing out food parcels and providing medical assistance.
Airstrikes still occur occasionally in southern Lebanon, in accordance with local sources.
Boutros said that despite the suffering attributable to the conflict, there have been signs of hope following the appointment of a latest Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, last month.
Aoun told Israel that it must withdraw its forces by 26Â January, which they’ve not done. Despite this, many residents have began returning to their homes near the southern border.
As a proportion of its population, Lebanon has more Christians than some other country within the Middle East, with estimates starting from a 3rd of the country to as much as 40 per cent.
