TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Senior European Union officials Thursday urged Israel to ease blockades of Lebanese ports to allow relief supplies to reach thousands displaced by fighting.
Israeli missile boats have been patrolling Lebanon's coast since the war began and the EU remains concerned that a strict blockade would hurt the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora whom they want to help.
An EU report estimated that more than 700,000 Lebanese have left their homes to other areas in Lebanon and that some 120,000 people fled to Syria.
However, many homes were destroyed during the 33 days of hostilities.
The EU's commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, Louis Michel, seemed shaken by the devastation he saw in southern Beirut.
The EU mobilized urgent humanitarian aid worth 20 million Euros ($25.6 million) and has pledges for an additional 100 million Euros ($128.1 million). A ship will leave France this week with 60 tons of "urgently needed humanitarian supplies," an EU press release said.
Michel and the Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomaki Thursday met Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz and asked that he pay "particular attention to lifting the blockade," Michel said.
If the blockade is "too strict and too severe... there would be political consequences," for the Lebanese government, he added.
Iran is believed to be providing funds so that Hezbollah can compensate people whose homes were damaged. The EU's wants "to empower the Lebanese government to have full authority," Michel said. The EU is concerned about possible repercussions of failure to deliver fuel.
The Israelis want to verify the shipments to prevent Iranian arms from reaching Hezbollah. They are concerned Iran and Syria will try and replenish the Shiite militia's rocket stockpiles.
