Lebanon receives $940 million in pledges

By KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writer
50 minutes ago

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - World donors on Thursday pledged more than $940 million for early reconstruction efforts in Lebanon, and many called on Israel to lift a blockade of the country. The amount was nearly double the $500 million that organizers of the donors' conference had requested to help Lebanon recover from weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Adding previous pledges and commitments for longer-term reconstruction projects, organizers said a total of $1.2 billion had been promised to help Lebanon back on its feet.

"The conference has thus met its objective with a wide margin," said Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson, the conference's host.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora thanked the 60 governments and aid organizations attending the conference for their contributions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060831/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_donors_conference

tell me what Israel gained form this. Hezbollah/Iran is more powerful than before the war. Talk about pissing money down the toilet. We blow it up and than we pledge to re-build it. The world is nuts!

I wonder if Iran and Syria are officially donating anything other than chump change.