FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
\nCONTACT: George Cody, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Task Force for Lebanon, 202-223-9333<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/u>).<\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 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…”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n A listing of the 31 participating organizations follows.<\/p>\n PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n American Task Force for Lebanon<\/a><\/p>\n American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee<\/a><\/p>\n American Arab Chamber of Commerce<\/a><\/p>\n American Druze Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n American Educational Trust<\/a><\/p>\n American Muslims for Constructive Engagement<\/a><\/p>\n American Near East Refugee Aid<\/a><\/p>\n American Task Force on Palestine<\/a><\/p>\n American University of Beirut <\/a><\/p>\n Amnesty International USA<\/a><\/p>\n Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America<\/a><\/p>\n Arab American Institute <\/a><\/p>\n Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services <\/a><\/p>\n Council for the National Interest<\/a><\/p>\n Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Washington Office<\/a><\/p>\n Friends Committee on National Legislation<\/a><\/p>\n Hariri Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n Islamic Society of North America<\/a><\/p>\n Jewish Voice for Peace<\/a><\/p>\n Lebanese American Association<\/a><\/p>\n Lebanese American University<\/a><\/p>\n Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office<\/a><\/p>\n Moawad Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n Muslim Public Affairs Council<\/a><\/p>\n National Council of Churches USA<\/a><\/p>\n National Council on US-Arab Relations<\/a><\/p>\n National Peace Foundation <\/a><\/p>\n National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce <\/a><\/p>\n Northern Ohio Lebanese American Association <\/a><\/p>\n The Episcopal Church<\/a><\/p>\n US-Arab Economic Forum<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 … Continue reading