What charities are working in the Lebanon and Palestine?

July 27, 2006 5:41 AM

Which charities are currently doing humanitarian aid work in the Lebanon and Gaza, and which charities are most likely to be involved in the inevitable re-building program?
posted by handee to grab bag (15 comments total)

I don't have any answer for you, but I have a question: why "the" before Lebanon? I thought it was just a typo until I noticed the tag. I don't see anything like that in a quick Google search.
posted by scottreynen at 6:22 AM on July 27, 2006

That's what they always used to call it on the news - The Lebanon. Thinking about it I think the definite article might have been dropped now.
posted by handee at 6:28 AM on July 27, 2006

The USAID web site has some information about their partners in humanitarian assistance in those locations. The International Committee of the Red Cross are also working on this and may have some information about other organizations involved.
posted by jdl at 6:44 AM on July 27, 2006

UMCOR

More here:
posted by 4ster at 6:51 AM on July 27, 2006

scottreynen and handee: "In British English, the country has often traditionally been referred to with the definite article as the Lebanon, like the Ukraine or the Gambia, derived from the literal translation from the Hebrew "HaLevanon" (e.g Deuteronomy 3:25)" (Wikipedia)
posted by matthewr at 7:05 AM on July 27, 2006

It's like "the Ukraine" v "Ukraine." I've generally only heard Brits call it "the Lebanon."

Check with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:06 AM on July 27, 2006

Give to the Red Cross (ICRC). The Lebanese Red Cross handles 80% of all the ambulance calls in the country. If you don't mind a self-link, I have more about it on my blog.
posted by exhilaration at 9:16 AM on July 27, 2006

Never mind the news, It is indeed Lebanon, no need to use 'the', afterall Lebanon is an Arabic country, and saying 'the Lebanon' in Arabic does not make any sense.

Back to your question, I know of this and this in Lebanon.
Both are currently active in providing medical supplies, food, foam pads to sleep on, sheets, etc... for the refugees. I don't know much about palestine.
posted by convex at 9:27 AM on July 27, 2006

The ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) has nothing to do with any of the national Red Cross / Red Crescent organizations.

The ICRC is a Swiss-based organization which enforces the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war, and does not work on humanitarian relief.
posted by MattD at 9:32 AM on July 27, 2006

MattD - That's not what their website says (but it's exactly the sort of information I'm after). Got anything to back that up?
posted by handee at 9:37 AM on July 27, 2006

Magen David Adom
posted by o0ll0o.o0ll0o at 10:08 AM on July 27, 2006

o0ll0o.o0ll0o - they don't seem to work in Lebanon or Gaza.
posted by handee at 10:17 AM on July 27, 2006

oops, I'm retarded. Ignore me.
posted by o0ll0o.o0ll0o at 10:48 AM on July 27, 2006

The amazing group Doctors Without Borders are there.
posted by nenequesadilla at 1:09 PM on July 27, 2006

first link is broken, should be Doctors Without Borders
posted by nenequesadilla at 1:11 PM on July 27, 2006