FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: George Cody, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Task Force for Lebanon, 202-223-9333
WASHINGTON, DC (6/15/07) – A coalition of 31 groups including the Council for the National Interest presented a letter to Secretary Condoleezza Rice this week calling for U.S. government intercession with Israel to obtain detailed site information on Israel’s cluster bomb strikes in Lebanon in the summer 2006 war. The coalition is being led by the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL, www.atfl.org).
ATFL Executive Director Dr. George Cody said “Our primary concern is to expedite remediation of cluster bomb sites and to ensure the safety of the brave demining teams in the field, UNIFIL and Lebanese Army personnel, and civilians including USAID employees.”
Israel’s strikes left an estimated 1 million unexploded cluster munitions on the ground in Lebanon, contaminating a total of 380,717,455 square feet. Only 117,872 of these munitions have been cleared as of 24 May 2007. The unexploded munitions have resulted in 32 fatalities and 207 injuries since the 14 August 2006 cease-fire.
Assistant Secretary of State C. David Welch told the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia on 18 April 2007 that “Israel has not yet provided detailed information.” The 15 March 2007 U.N. Secretary General’s report on Security Council Resolution 1701 reported: “Despite repeated United Nations efforts…I regret that Israel has not yet provided UNIFIL with this data…”
The 31 groups seek a meeting with Secretary Rice to discuss the humanitarian importance of the cluster bomb targeting information and steps that can be taken to obtain the data.
A listing of the 31 participating organizations follows.
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
American Task Force for Lebanon
American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee
American Arab Chamber of Commerce
American Muslims for Constructive Engagement
American Near East Refugee Aid
American Task Force on Palestine
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services
Council for the National Interest
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Washington Office
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Islamic Society of North America
Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office
National Council of Churches USA
National Council on US-Arab Relations
National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce