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Which Countries Have Pledged Aid to Lebanon as Conflict Worsened?

Photographers document damage in a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP)
Photographers document damage in a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP)
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Which Countries Have Pledged Aid to Lebanon as Conflict Worsened?

Photographers document damage in a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP)
Photographers document damage in a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP)

Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah group in Lebanon have killed more than 1,000 people and wounded 6,000 in the past two weeks, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Around a million people have fled their homes seeking safety in other parts of Lebanon or in neighboring Syria, sheltering mostly in schools with few supplies.

Below are some of the countries that have pledged or provided humanitarian aid to Lebanon as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict worsened in the last few days.

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia has announced aid for the Lebanese population including medical assistance, state news agency SPA reported.

"The Kingdom has reiterated its commitment to standing by the Lebanese people as they face the challenges arising from the current circumstances, stressing the importance of addressing the humanitarian repercussions," SPA added.

EGYPT

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday he had ordered the immediate dispatch of emergency medical and humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

During a phone call with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Sisi reiterated Egypt's continued support for Lebanon on all levels.

JORDAN

The Jordanian armed forces sent a cargo plane on Sunday carrying humanitarian aid for the Lebanese army to assist in addressing the difficult conditions the country is experiencing.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pledged to provide Lebanon with an urgent relief aid package worth $100 million on Monday, the state news agency reported.

The initiative was part of the country's continuing efforts to support Lebanon through its current challenges, "underscoring the nation's unwavering commitment to assisting the Lebanese people," it said.

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union announced 10 million euros ($11.2 million) in humanitarian aid on Sunday to help people in Lebanon affected by the escalating hostilities.

The funding is intended to help provide protection, food assistance, shelter and healthcare, the European Commission said in a statement.

CANADA

Canada is contributing $10 million in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Lebanon, International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said in a statement on Saturday.

FRANCE

Visiting Lebanon on Sunday to oversee a delivery of humanitarian aid, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said it contained 12 tons of medical equipment to be used to treat 1,000 seriously injured people.

"We will always stand by the civilians", Barrot added.

TÜRKIYE

A Turkish aircraft arrived in Lebanon last Wednesday carrying medical aid and supplies to support the Lebanese health sector, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported.

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Lebanon War... Why is it Difficult for Netanyahu and Nasrallah to Back Down?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. AFP/Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. AFP/Reuters
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Lebanon War... Why is it Difficult for Netanyahu and Nasrallah to Back Down?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. AFP/Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. AFP/Reuters

Informed sources in Beirut told Asharq Al-Awsat that any diplomatic efforts to stop the ongoing war between Israel and Lebanon would face the obstacle of the main parties to the conflict — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah — finding it difficult to back down.

Why is Netanyahu refusing to back down?

The sources noted that the war in Lebanon has achieved for Netanyahu what he could not accomplish in Gaza. They summarized it as follows:

- Netanyahu framed the war with a unifying message that has gained consensus across the Israeli political spectrum: the return of the northern residents who were displaced after Hezbollah launched cross-border attacks following the Oct. 7 attacks in Gaza. This means that the Israeli military operations enjoy broad political and public backing.

- Netanyahu began the war by striking Hezbollah’s communication networks, inflicting unprecedented losses on the group and sidelining around 1,500 of its members from the battlefield.

- He dealt a near-fatal blow to the leadership of the Radwan Forces, the elite military wing of Hezbollah, managing to eliminate prominent figures, some of whom were listed as US targets due to attacks that occurred in Beirut four decades ago.

- Netanyahu can claim that Hezbollah initiated the war and that Israel’s only demand is the return of northern residents and ensuring their safety.

- Thus, it seems difficult for Netanyahu to back down from the demand of returning the displaced, which practically means disengaging the Lebanese front from the Gaza front.

Why is Nasrallah refusing to back down?

The sources pointed to the following reasons:

- It is hard for Nasrallah to accept a setback in a war that he initiated.

- He also finds it difficult to accept disengagement after Hezbollah has suffered unprecedented losses, unlike anything it faced in its previous confrontations with Israel, including the 2006 war.

- Accepting a setback would signal that Iran is not willing to take concrete steps to confront Israel.

- If Hezbollah agrees to disengage from Gaza without a ceasefire there, many would view the cross-border attacks launched by the party in support of the Palestinian enclave as a reckless gamble.

- A setback for Hezbollah would demoralize the Axis of Resistance and have a ripple effect on Gaza itself.

- Agreeing to a ceasefire without securing even "limited gains" would reinforce the perception that Nasrallah launched a war that most Lebanese reject, and that Hezbollah bears responsibility for the resulting losses.