{"id":15700,"date":"2026-03-23T10:38:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T10:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oeuvre-orient.fr\/communiques\/%f0%9f%94%b4press-release-loeuvre-dorient-advocates-for-the-inalienable-right-of-people-to-remain-on-their-land\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T07:04:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T07:04:02","slug":"%f0%9f%94%b4press-release-loeuvre-dorient-advocates-for-the-inalienable-right-of-people-to-remain-on-their-land","status":"publish","type":"communique","link":"https:\/\/www.oeuvre-orient.fr\/en\/communiques\/%f0%9f%94%b4press-release-loeuvre-dorient-advocates-for-the-inalienable-right-of-people-to-remain-on-their-land\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd34Press Release: L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient Advocates for the Inalienable Right of People to Remain on Their Land"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient expresses its deep concern over the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, which began in the wake of Hezbollah\u2019s attack on Israel. This military escalation is plunging the country into a war with devastating human and social consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than a million people have been forced to flee their homes\u2014nearly one in five Lebanese<\/strong>. The death toll is rising every day, with more than a thousand people killed, including more than a hundred children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This war is taking a heavy toll on the civilian population, often indiscriminately. It is unfolding against a backdrop of extreme fragility: for several years now, the Lebanese people have been enduring a succession of economic, social, and political crises. In the absence of a fully functional government, Lebanese organizations, international NGOs, and local churches and religious communities are now shouldering the burden of the humanitarian response, with dramatically insufficient resources amid a global trend of declining international aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villages in Southern Lebanon: Communities Threatened with Disappearance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In southern Lebanon, Christian villages\u2014whose origins date back to the early days of Christianity\u2014are now almost completely cut off from the rest of the country. These communities stand as a living testament not only to faith but also to coexistence in a region that has suffered greatly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite repeated evacuation orders, bombings, the destruction of homes and churches, and civilian deaths\u2014including that of a priest\u2014more than 10,000 Christians have made the courageous choice to remain in their homes. These people are unarmed and stand as a testament to peace and peaceful resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, these villages in southern Lebanon face an existential threat. Christian schools, which once enrolled more than 10,000 students\u2014both Christian and Muslim\u2014have been damaged or destroyed.<\/strong> Once again, there is a serious risk of a disruption in education in this country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prospect of a larger ground incursion and the creation of a buffer zone could lead to the irreversible exile of the residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added to this is concern about the region\u2019s cultural heritage. The archaeological site of Tyre, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and placed under enhanced protection since November 2024, is now directly threatened by Israeli airstrikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Work of the East\u2019s Efforts: Solidarity in the Midst of the Crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the face of this dire situation, L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient is fully mobilized. With a local team and volunteers on the ground in Lebanon<\/strong>, the organization is responding directly to the needs of the people. It provides direct support to displaced persons who have found shelter with religious orders and local organizations, regardless of their religious affiliation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient supports Christian hospitals<\/strong>, such as Geitawi Hospital and the Daughters of Charity Hospital. It also helps preserve cultural heritage<\/strong> through the ALIPH Foundation, notably by supporting the project to physically protect the archaeological site of Tyre. The work will be carried out in close coordination with the General Directorate of Antiquities (DGA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient is organizing humanitarian aid convoys to southern Lebanon<\/strong>, in coordination with the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), and other partners such as Caritas Lebanon. To date, four trucks have transported 50 metric tons of essential supplies to isolated villages, and additional convoys are planned for the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient calls on the international community to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n