Issue No. 595
Region
Previous issue
Site map
|
|
18 - 24 July 2002 Issue No. 595 Region |
Current issue Previous issue Site map | |
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
South Lebanon heats up
A security incident in South Lebanon revived the debate over the country's 'hands-off' policy towards Palestinian refugee camps, Zeina Abu Rizk reports from Beirut
The killing of three Lebanese soldiers near Sidon by a group of armed men, one of whom hid in the neighbouring Palestinian refugee camp of Ain Al-Helweh, brought to the forefront, once again, the matter of Palestinian refugee camps having become virtual "states within a state".
The incident occurred last Thursday when the three soldiers were on a mission to arrest Badih Hamade, a Lebanese Shi'ite wanted by the authorities, at his home. As the soldiers approached the area where Hamade's home is located -- near the Palestinian camp of Ain Al-Helweh -- they were ambushed by Hamade and a group of armed men which, according to security sources, included Palestinians.
Hamade, also known as "Abu Obeida", was reportedly wounded during the altercation, and hid in the Ain Al-Helweh camp for almost a week. He was handed over to the Lebanese army at 4am on Tuesday by a faction of the Islamist Palestinian group Isbat Al-Ansar, headed by Ahmed Abdel-Karim Al-Saadi, dubbed "Abu Muhjen".
Under cover of night, Abu Muhjen's men abducted Hamade and three members of another Islamist group, Al-Takfir Wal-Hijra, from the house in which Abu Obeida had taken refuge.
Before Abu Muhjen turned over Abu Obeida, rumours had circulated that the Isbat Al-Ansar was protecting the fugitive. Abu Muhjen, who is also wanted by the Lebanese authorities, had said that Hamade was not one of his men and added that his faction did not provide refuge to outsiders.
The day following the ambush incident, Palestinian leaders at the Ain Al-Helweh camp pledged immediate support to the Lebanese government in its search for Hamade. Mounir Al- Maqdeh, a senior Fatah member at Ain Al- Helweh, said, "We will do everything we can to ensure that Abu Obeida is turned over to the authorities."
Abu Ali Tanios, the leader of another Islamist group, also expressed his faction's readiness to "deploy all possible efforts" towards bringing Hamade to capture. Some Islamists at the camp, however, opposed any such cooperation.
The killing of the three soldiers heightened latent ethnic tensions in the country. Authorities were undoubtedly aware of their narrow margin of manoeuvre in the refugee camps, owing to the fact that an army incursion into the Palestinian areas sparked off a civil war more than 25 years ago. Since the end of the war in 1991, the army has not entered the refugee camps. Currently, the areas are controlled by gunmen belonging to Fatah, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas and Jihad. Consequently, Hamade's presence in the camp put the Lebanese government in a delicate situation.
On the one hand, for the state to turn a blind eye to such a major breach of law and order would have been unacceptable. On the other, entering the camp to look for Abu Obeida remained out of question, both for the Lebanese and Damascus -- which pledged full support to the Lebanese army and government on the matter.
The Lebanese response was to surround the Ain Al-Helweh camp with the aim of urging camp leaders and residents to cooperate with the state in turning over Abu Obeida.
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription Advertise! |
WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg |
 Al-Ahram Organisation |
