Summary

1-Summary on The Return movement:

During 2011, the number of the registered returnees with MODM increased dramatically compared to the same period in 2010. Starting in April onward the number kept increasing and the peak was in August and the number (even though) is less than August but it’s relatively high.

By Dizery Salim

GENEVA, 26 December 2011 – The Dead Sea rift, which separates the African and Asian plates, is the deepest and most deadly fault line in the Middle East, making its way from Ethiopia up into southern Lebanon and the country’s eastern Bekaa valley.

An estimated 40,000 people from Beirut and Damascus died in a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 1759. Experts predict that major earthquakes will occur in the region every 250 to 300 years.

Table of Contents

16 December 2011, Beirut - The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced today the start of a new project for the remediation and upgrading of camp water supply networks in seven Palestine refugee camps in Lebanon.

AIN EL-HILWEH, Lebanon, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Sporadic clashes broke out between armed factions in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp on Sunday after the bodyguard of an official there was killed, a witness and security officials said.

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The Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, today chaired a regular tripartite meeting with senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) at the UN Position at Ras Al Naqoura crossing.

Beirut, 14 December 2011- UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas paid a visit to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the situation in UNIFIL Area of Operation in view of the recent incidents involving serious security breaches in southern Lebanon.

The Force Commander shared with the Lebanese leaders the strong condemnation and serious concern over the explosive attack against UNIFIL and the rocket firing from Lebanese territory.

Executive Summary

The complexity of humanitarian challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) historically derives from the pre-existing causes- the long running conflict, instability and displacement in the Middle East as well as vulnerabilities related to natural disasters and socio-economic factors in most parts of the region. The humanitarian consequences of the recent civil unrest have exacerbated the situation across the region especially for the most vulnerable with minimal coping capacities.