Lebanon Divided over Return of Displaced Syrians

A camp for the displaced Syrians in Al-Rayhaniyah, in the Akkar governorate, northern Lebanon (AFP)
A camp for the displaced Syrians in Al-Rayhaniyah, in the Akkar governorate, northern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon Divided over Return of Displaced Syrians

A camp for the displaced Syrians in Al-Rayhaniyah, in the Akkar governorate, northern Lebanon (AFP)
A camp for the displaced Syrians in Al-Rayhaniyah, in the Akkar governorate, northern Lebanon (AFP)

Some political parties and local communities have called for the deportation of Syrian refugees, while others and international organizations considered that the conditions for their return were not suitable.

In light of this situation, there have been warnings against potential “Syrian-Lebanese clashes”, especially with anonymous calls for the displaced Syrians to demonstrate outside the UNHCR headquarters on Wednesday, in parallel with a similar invitation by the Lebanese demanding their deportation.

On Tuesday, the head of the Kataeb Party, MP Samir Gemayel, said that Lebanon could no longer tolerate the presence of refugees.

During a press conference in Beirut following a meeting with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, Gemayel said: “Lebanon received more than 1.8 million displaced people, and dealt with them in the best humane way; but today we are facing a new phase as the hostilities in Syria have ended, and there are no more open battles. Thus, it is possible for them to return to their country.”

“It is time for us to change the way we dealt with this issue,” he underlined.

The former deputy speaker of parliament, Elie Ferzli, warned against a potential “Syrian-Lebanese infighting”.

In remarks following a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday, Ferzli said that some Syrians abroad were “shouting extremely dangerous slogans.”

“We have an interest in expediting the election of a president, who would deal with and resolve this file as soon as possible,” he stated.

On the other hand, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) demanded guarantees for the return of refugees to their country.

MP Hadi Abul-Hassan told Asharq Al-Awsat: “In our opinion, the refugees must return to their country… but with international guarantees” especially for anti-regime figures.

He added that the guarantees must include a safe return and appropriate social conditions.

Meanwhile, calls for demonstrations on Wednesday in front of the UNHCR headquarters in Beirut, were raised by a group presenting itself as the “National Campaign to Liberate Lebanon from the Syrian Demographic Occupation,” and to “confront the arrogance of the occupier”.

The organizers said that their move came in response to an invitation from the displaced Syrians to demonstrate before the Commission, to reject their forced deportation.

Maroun Khouli, head of the General Confederation of Lebanese Trade Unions, which launched the campaign last week, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We called for the protest in parallel with the demonstration held by the displaced Syrians because we will not allow them to stand against the decisions of the Lebanese army and the laws.”

On the other hand, a displaced Syrian in Lebanon confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that calls from unknown sources circulated among the refugees, urging them to demonstrate. He stressed that this was an attempt to stir tension between the Lebanese and the Syrians.

Following information that pointed to the deportation of more than 50 Syrians from Lebanon, Amnesty International called on the Lebanese authorities to “halt the illegal deportations of Syrian refugees for fear that they will be subjected to torture or persecution by the Syrian government upon their return.”

Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Aya Majzoub, released a statement saying: “No refugee should be returned to a place where his life would be in danger.”



Gaza Civil Defense Describes Medic Killings as 'Summary Executions'

A video recovered from the phone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account - AFP
A video recovered from the phone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account - AFP
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Gaza Civil Defense Describes Medic Killings as 'Summary Executions'

A video recovered from the phone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account - AFP
A video recovered from the phone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account - AFP

Gaza's civil defense agency on Monday accused the Israeli military of carrying out "summary executions" in the killing of 15 rescue workers last month, rejecting the findings of an internal probe by the army.

The medics and other rescue workers were killed when responding to distress calls near Gaza's southern city of Rafah early on March 23, days into Israel's renewed offensive in the Hamas-run territory, AFP reported.

Among those killed were eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defense rescue agency and one employee of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

"The video filmed by one of the paramedics proves that the Israeli occupation's narrative is false and demonstrates that it carried out summary executions," Mohammed Al-Mughair, a civil defense official, told AFP, accusing Israel of seeking to "circumvent" its obligations under international law.

Following the shooting, the Red Crescent released a video recovered from the phone of one of the victims. It does not show executions, but it does directly contradict the version of events initially put forward by the Israeli military.

In particular, the video shows clearly that the ambulances were travelling with sirens, flashing lights and headlights on. The military had claimed the ambulances were travelling "suspiciously" and without lights.

- Operational failures -

The incident drew international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from UN human rights commissioner Volker Turk.

An Israeli military investigation into the incident released on Sunday "found no evidence to support claims of execution" or "indiscriminate fire" by its troops, but admitted to operational failures and said it was firing a field commander.

It said six of those killed were militants, revising an earlier claim that nine of the men were fighters.

The dead, who were buried in sand by Israeli forces, were only recovered several days after the attack from what the UN human rights agency OCHA described as a "mass grave".

The Palestine Red Crescent Society denounced the report as "full of lies".

"It is invalid and unacceptable, as it justifies the killing and shifts responsibility to a personal error in the field command when the truth is quite different," Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Red Crescent, told AFP.

The Israeli investigation said there were three shooting incidents in the area on that day.

In the first, soldiers shot at what they believed to be a Hamas vehicle.

In the second, around an hour later, troops fired "on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances", the military said.

The probe determined that the fire in the first two incidents resulted from an "operational misunderstanding by the troops".

In the third incident, the troops fired at a UN vehicle "due to operational errors in breach of regulations", the military said.