Category: General

In the Arab Observatory for Human Rights’ report on Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip: over the course of 50 days the aggression caused the death and injury of 4% of Gaza’s population, 47 thousand citizens between martyr, wounded and missing, stressing that what the citizens in Gaza go through is one of the worst humanitarian disasters and calling for the prompt establishment of the legal committee adopted by the Arab-Islamic Summit

The report of the Arab Observatory for Human Rights (AOHR) on the monitoring of the occupying Power’s violations in the occupied Palestinian territory in the course of 50 days since the war began on 7 October until 25 November 2023, indicated that the continuing war waged by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip will have serious repercussions not only for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip but also for the security and stability of the Middle East region as a whole, and called upon the international community and the International Criminal Court to act urgently and
investigate the war crimes committed by Israeli forces against the defenseless Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and their targeting of schools housing displaced persons, residential areas, hospitals, mosques, museums and archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip and in the Palestinian territories in general, as well as the targeting of children, women and the elderly.

The AOHR also called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish an international fact-finding commission on human rights violations committed in the Gaza Strip, policies of collective punishment, forced displacement and other war crimes.

The report noted that over the course of 50 days, the Israeli aggression caused the killing and wounding of 4% of Gaza’s population, 47 thousand citizens between martyr, wounded and missing, pointing out that 70% of the victims were children and women, also pushed one million and seven hundred thousand to displacement and more than 50% of citizens’ houses and civilian establishments were destroye
d, notably hospitals the majority of which went out of service, turning the Gaza Strip into a destructed and besieged area without water, food, medicine, fuel and communications, stressing that what the citizens are going through in Gaza is one of the worst humanitarian disasters.

The report pointed out that the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip constitutes an illegal military action that contravenes clearly and explicitly with the Charter of the United Nations, in addition it has committed serious violations of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilian persons in time of war, as well as its violation of all international instruments and covenants governing international humanitarian law.

The report warned of the danger of targeting civilian installations in the Gaza Strip by Israeli warplanes and destroying infrastructure despite the fact that international humanitarian law grants certain public and private property special protection, resulting in the martyrdom o
f more than 6150 children and 4000 women out of more than 15 thousand martyrs and 7000 missing under the rubble of buildings or bodies in the streets where the occupying forces prevent access to them, in addition of 3000 martyrdom students killed on their school seats and more than 1000 newborns or children not older than one year, where the number of martyrs among children aged between one and four years old has reached more than 1300.

The report also stated that by 24 November 2023, the number of women martyrs reached 4000, 25% of whom aged between 20 and 30 years old, 50% aged between 30 and 40 years old, and 15% of victims aged between 50 and 70 years old.

The report noted that the West Bank also witnessed a wave of tension and field confrontations between Palestinians and the Israeli occupation army that have escalated with the Gaza war, adding that the Israeli authorities carry out daily campaigns of raids on villages and towns in the West Bank accompanied by confrontations, arrests, shootings and bom
bings of prisoners’ houses.

The report underlined according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, that since 7 October, the number of prisoners in the West Bank has risen to more than 3290 of whom 125 women and 145 children, besides 41 journalists were arrested of whom 29 are still in detention.

Regarding the targeting of the Palestinian health sector, the report stated that the Israeli occupation deliberately destroy the Palestinian health sector and put it out of service to prevent treatment of the wounded and injured, on the pretext that hospitals include below Hamas command centers and attack tunnels, resulting in the killing of 207 doctors, nurses, paramedics and 26 of civil defense forces according to data from Gaza Government Information Office, in addition 26 hospitals and 55 health centers went out of service and 56 ambulances were destroyed.

Based on the above, the AOHR called upon the United Nations General Assembly to operationalize its resolution 377 on the convening under “Uniting for Peace” to
stop the war as long as the Security Council failed to do so, also called for legal support and documentation for all occupation’s crimes in support of the Palestinian Authority’s request for investigation by the International Criminal Court since 2021, emphasizing the need to support requests from Djibouti and Comoros to the International Criminal Court to investigate into these massacres.

Also called for the prompt establishment of the legal committee adopted by the Arab-Islamic Summit, composed of specialists for the accounting of all decisions and violations against the Palestinian people, and to prepare a legal memorandum for submission to all international bodies concerned, also to prepare a strong legal file to be submitted to the International Criminal Court and other bodies.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

2:30 pm Rally at the invitation of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine – entrance to Burj Al-Barajneh camp, Airport Road, ‘in solidarity with our people in Gaza, upholding the choice of jihad and resistance.’
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon on Friday issued a statement expressing solidarity with the steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as support for their courageous and honorable resistance.

The statement detailed an operation carried out by the Islamic Resistance fighters at 3:00 pm on Friday, December 15, 2023. The operation specifically targeted the Ramim outpost (located in the occupied Lebanese town of Hounine) along with the Israeli enemy forces’ positions and vehicles in its vicinity using rocket and artillery fire, resulting in direct hits and casualties.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

10:00 am The Free Patriotic Movement organizes the “Municipal Forum on Syrian Displacement: Social Stability through Law Enforcement and Municipal Incentives” at “Leqaa” Center – Al-Rabweh. The event will feature speeches by FPM leader Deputy Gebran Bassil, Minister of Social Affairs Hector Hajjar, and a representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Elias Nicolas.

10:00 am The “Hadeer” Association and “Fanousi” website, in collaboration with the “Cedars” Association, host an event for youth on the occasion of the International Day of Arabic Language on December 18th, aiming to encourage children to love the Arabic language under the theme “I Love My Language” at Bab el Ward Nursery in Kaskas. The event will continue until 12:00 pm.

11:00 am “Build to Build” Association holds a spiritual entertainment meeting for the elderly at Mansoura Specialized Center in West Bekaa, titled “Our Elders, Our Responsibility,” to celebrate Christmas and New Year, under the patronage and attendance of th
e Minister of Social Affairs in the caretaker government, Dr. Hector Hajjar.

12:00 pm Launch event for the annual reforestation campaign conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, organized by the Islamic Message Scouts Association in the city of Martyrs Ain Al-Baniya Scout Camp – Taybeh, near Imam Musa Al-Sadr Secondary School, under the patronage and attendance of the Minister of Agriculture in the caretaker government, Dr. Abbas Hajj Hassan.

4:00 pm Launch of the “Stay in the Light” campaign at the Ain Wazein Social Center in Shouf, aimed at reducing the risks and impact of drugs on society and youth. Organized by the Progressive Youth Organization, under the patronage of the head of the Progressive Socialist Party, MP Taymour Jumblatt, and in the presence of Ghazi Saab, representing the Minister of Culture in the caretaker government, Judge Mohammad Wissam Al-Murtada.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The artillery of the Israeli enemy on Friday aimed at secure residences in southern Lebanon’s Ras Al-Zahra and Al-Tarash within the town of Mays Al-Jabal, our Marjeyoun reporter said.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The Parliament of Lebanon has passed a law that establishes a comprehensive pension system for private sector workers and fundamentally reshapes the governance of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

Previous attempts spanning three decades to replace Lebanon’s end-of-service indemnity system with a modern pension scheme had been met with failure. Until this recent milestone, Lebanon stood as one of only two countries in the Arab region without a scheme that protects insured workers with long-term periodical benefits for retirement, death and disability.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) provided extensive technical support to the relevant parliamentary committees, the NSSF and workers and employers’ organizations in Lebanon to reach consensus over the design and parameters of the scheme, and the final text of the legislation that was adopted by Parliament, ensuring its alignment with international labour standards for social security.

‘We congratulate all partners in Lebanon for achieving
this historical milestone’ said ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat. ‘At a time of unprecedented social and economic crises, Lebanon shows that advancing structural reforms is possible and at the same time unavoidable. Stronger public social protection mechanisms and better functioning national institutions are critical to ensure that the economic recovery is also accompanied by a much need advancement of social justice,’ she added, acknowledging the collaboration with successive ministers of Labour who spearheaded this endeavour.

Nicolas Nahas, former minister and member of parliament, who headed the parliamentary sub-committee that revised and finalized the project of the law in the past legislature, considers this a major milestone for Lebanon ‘We have pursued this transformative legislation for years and are elated to witness its approval today. It marks a crucial step forward for our country given the benefit it will bring to both workers and employers. We hope that the implementation wil
l meet the set targets in due course’, he said.

Older people in Lebanon have been hit hard by the unprecedented crises that have afflicted the country since 2019 – from the collapse of the economy to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the August 2020 Beirut Port explosion. Rising rates of poverty and unemployment across the country, coupled with an inadequate social protection system, have made it increasingly difficult for all people to meet their basic needs and have in particular negatively affected the social and physical wellbeing of those in later life. Even prior to these crises, the end-of-service indemnity system fell short in providing protection in old age. The value of these indemnities has plummeted as a result of the collapse of the Lebanese Pound leaving those insured without any source of income and forcing many of them to continue working into old age.

The new pension benefits will be calculated taking into account two guaranteed minimum amounts: the first is 80 percent of the minimum wage after 30
years of contribution, the second is 1.33 percent for each year of the insured’s revalorized average wage. Benefits will be paid in case of disability and will be transferred to survivors in case of the death of the insured member or the pensioner. Pension values will also be indexed to inflation through a yearly adjustment process.

‘This is one of the most important socioeconomic reforms Lebanon has achieved in the past 30 years.’ commented Mohammed Karaki, Director General of the NSSF ‘We have worked hard to completely revise the social security law, so as to ensure a decent retirement lto the Lebanese population. We are grateful for the support received from the ILO, especially in relation to the actuarial and legal standards advice and the continuous and close accompaniment on this project, and we look forward to continuing the partnership to develop solid systems for its delivery’, he added.

Bilal Abdallah, member of parliament and head of the parliamentary committee on Health, Labour, and Social Affai
rs said “The law passed by Parliament, based on the proposal put forth by the subcommittee and endorsed by the joint committees, is comprehensive and aligns with essential international standards. Tailored to the unique Lebanese context and realities, it strikes a delicate balance between redistribution and capitalization, and streamlines the fund’s management and investment, ensuring the sustainability of its benefits.’ In fact, as a key aspect of the reform, the law introduces an entirely new governance structure for the NSSF. The current board of directors will be replaced by a smaller board of ten members, four representing workers, four representing employers and two representing the government. Notably, six of the members will be required to be specialized experts on matters of social protection. Overseeing the funds will be an independent committee of investment, comprised of specialized experts, along with a dedicated investment arm. The NSSF is also mandated to institute a system for the electronic p
ayment of contributions and benefits, and a digital platform for workers and employers to access information on their social security rights.

‘The new system will improve the well-being of Lebanese who reach retirement age and strengthen social solidarity which is very important for Lebanon these days,’ said Luca Pellerano, Senior Social Protection Specialist who has led technical engagement on the project from the ILO Regional office in Beirut. ‘This has fundamental importance, not only for reducing social vulnerabilities, but also for ensuring the proper functioning of the entire social security system. The new law should encourage employers to declare full salaries to the NSSF, from which other branches of the system – most importantly the health insurance branch – will in turn benefit.’

The reform was hailed by all social partners, who actively engaged in a series of social dialogue over the past years ultimately reaching a consensus on the final outcome of the reform. In his remarks, Bchara el Asmar, t
he head of the General Confederation of Workers (CGTL), deems this law ‘a fundamental turning point in the interests of the insured, serving as a guarantee for the continuity of salary post-retirement.” Emphasizing the urgency of swift implementation, he underscores the necessity of promptly issuing the required implementation decrees to “establish a minimum guarantee of social security for workers which they have been without for over two decades – a reality that was further exacerbated by the suffocating crisis and the erosion of the value of indemnities, savings, and deposits.”

On the other hand, the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, through its President Salim Zeenni, welcomed this reform as a ‘blessed step resulting from a long struggle and close cooperation between the private sector, CGTL, and the Lebanese state, with the unwavering support of the International Labour Organization, who worked tirelessly and made tremendous efforts to develop the key parameters for this law and contributed to its
successful conclusion.’

The reform represents a critical component of a broader national social protection strategy which was recently adopted by the Council of Ministers, with financial support to the process from the European Union. The ILO will now shift its focus towards supporting the NSSF and social partners in its successful and timely implementation – the next significant challenge in this endeavour.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

Several individuals sustained injuries after the Israeli enemy targeted a residence in southern Lebanon’s Yarin village, necessitating their transfer to hospitals in Tyre for treatment, our reporter confirmed on Friday.

The relentless airstrikes persist in the vicinity, accompanied by heightened surveillance from enemy reconnaissance aircrafts.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The surroundings of the southern Lebanese towns of Tayr Harfa, Aita al-Shaab, Naqoura, al-Jebin, and al-Dhaira are currently being subjected to Israeli enemy artillery shelling, our reporter said on Friday.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

Explosions are being heard in southern Lebanon’s Labouneh region in Naqoura, the echoes of which reached Tyre, our reporter said on Friday.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The eastern outskirts of the southern Lebanese town of Mheibib are currently being subjected to enemy artillery shelling, our reporter said on Friday.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

Ongoing Israeli enemy artillery shelling has been reported in southern Lebanon’s border areas near Aita Al-Shaab, heightening tensions in the region.

Concurrently, an Israeli interception rocket exploded in the skies over Debel and Hanin, our reporter said on Friday.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

The head of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency said Thursday that crowds of hungry people were stopping its aid trucks in Gaza and helping themselves to the food, making it almost impossible to continue delivering aid.

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) has said half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is starving as Israel’s military assault on the southern part of the enclave expands and people are cut off from supplies.

“People are stopping aid in trucks, taking the food and eating it right away. And this is how desperate and hungry they are,” Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, told reporters at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva.

Huge crowds on the street also mean that it is harder to reach hundreds of thousands of people in U.N. shelters in southern Gaza, Lazzarini said, speaking after a trip to Gaza.

“Hunger has now emerged over the last few weeks and we meet more and more people who haven’t eaten for one two or three days,” he added.

“… Our operating environment becomes more and
more difficult. And the only way at this stage, in the absence of a ceasefire, to address it and to reverse this tension is to bring assistance at scale,” Lazzarini said.

Aid deliveries crossing into Gaza via the sole entry point on the Egyptian border are only a fraction of pre-conflict levels despite the surge in needs.

Israel says it has ramped up aid inspection capacity and reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing for checks this week to ease flows.

According to U.N. estimates, up to 85% of the 2.3 million people in Gaza – one of the most densely populated areas of the world – have been displaced from their homes and are now crammed in an ever smaller area in the south near the border with Egypt.

Lazzarini said aid deliveries were focused on southern and middle areas of Gaza but that it has become “excruciatingly difficult” to get aid to people remaining in northern Gaza since a seven-day pause in the conflict ended on Dec. 1.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon