Fuel running low in Lebanon, threatening hospital services

First four paragraphs: BEIRUT: The fuel crisis has taken a dramatic turn for the worse when hospitals, among other public services, have announced that if the current situation continues, they may be forced to close within the next week to 10 days. Health Minister Mohammad Khalifeh told The Daily Star that the hospitals in the gravest conditions are those based in the South, especially in Tyre and Sidon, where not only is it extremely difficult to get supplies in, but they have the heaviest patient load, and are quickly running out of fuel to generate electricity.

"Our fuel reserves are extremely low at the moment. If the situation continues and we're still not able to receive the tankers that are waiting at sea, then it is likely that the hospitals can close within a week; those in the South maybe within five days," Khalifeh said, emphasizing the point that they are trying their hardest to work with the international community in order to bring the fuel into Lebanon.

"We cannot let the hospitals close down, regardless of whether they are in South or in Beirut. At the moment, our priority is the South because this is the area that has been most affected by the bombardments, and this is the area that is running lowest on energy supplies. As soon as we are able to receive the fuel, we are going to try and get it to the South," the health minister said.

In Beirut, the American University of Beirut Medical Center is also facing the same problem of fuel shortages. "We are already experiencing power cuts, and we are getting our power from two suppliers; Electricite du Liban (EDL) and our power plant, which we use only when there is no alternative. We are receiving power for about 10 hours a day now, but obviously this is not guaranteed each day and recently the power cuts have been more prolonged," said Dr. George Tomey, acting president of AUB.--

Israel refused to allow delivery of fuel on Thursday, as part of its effort to minimize civilian casualties: http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&A7247A2DD194C7ADC22571BF00473ACE

Two Dutch tankers are waiting in occupied Lebanese waters to deliver fuel, but are refused entry by Israeli military.

In related news, the US Congress is considered another AIPAC written resolution on Lebanon called the "let them eat cake" resolution. :eyes:

Israel should be so pleased.
:eyes:

And people start to die with no medical care, will the Israelis still be justified in their actions?

Or will we condemn them the same way we condemned our own troops for attacking hospitals in Iraq?

I doubt it!

It is amazing how unified the progressive community was in opposing */PNAC's crimes yet some progressives in America enthusiastically and without an iota of disagreement support similar things when Israel happens to be involved.

The Lebanese are so anti-Semitic they are hiding fuel from the masses in order to cause as many deaths as possible just to make Israel look bad. :mad:

Oh, the inhumanity to man. :cry:

SHAME ON THEM

Israel blockade against Lebanon tightens

By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago


...
Essential medicines, including blood pressure and diabetes medications, are in short supply and grocery stores have run out of essentials such as milk, diapers, baby food and canned goods. They also report shrinking supplies of basic staples like rice and sugar.

"Milk is out of the question, forget it. I'm running out of lots of other foodstuffs too. If you need anything take it now because I fear next week there won't be much left," said grocer Fuad Yammine.

Electricity cuts are getting worse, with some areas getting only two hours of electricity a day. Candles and batteries have become a rare commodity in supermarkets and stores.

Hammoud said his hospital was receiving just six hours of electricity a day and he has only a week's worth of fuel for the backup generator. "We are rationing medicines, we're already canceling or postponing non-urgent operations, taking only the critical cases," he said.

He has received a small amount of medical supplies from organizations such as Doctors without Borders, but it's not enough, he said. ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060804/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_shortages

Murdering bastards.