Lebanon (July 1996) as well as UNTSO, UNIFIL in the south and Palestinian refuge camps in the north

I began my familiarization visit to the Middle East from the UN, with a visit to Lebanon in August 1996. We started in Beirut, then visited Israeli-occupied Southern Lebanon, beyond the Litani River, as well as UNIFIL and UNTSO HQs there before heading north again to visit Palestinian Refugee Camps north of Beirut. Accompanied by the Middle East desk officer at our Permanent UN Mission, Tamara Mawhinney, we then headed eastward, across the Mountains, to the Bekaa Valley and on to Damascus in Syria.

Beirut (six years after the end of the 15 year-long Lebanese Civil War)

Lebanon – South of the Litani River

The United Nations Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was established in 1978, and the oldest UN peacekeeping force, established in 1947, UNTSO (UN Truce Supervision Organization) both endeavour to keep peace and observe the non-peace between Lebanon and Israel south of the Litani river in South Lebanon

On April 18, 1996, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shelled a United Nations (UN) compound in Qana where 139 people had sought refuge

Tyre & Sidon

Nahr-el-Bared and Beddawi Palestinian Refugee Camps along the coast, north of Beirut

The Bekaa Valley

Baalbek

Byblos

Zahle