Latest news with #PalestinianRefugees
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Israel military raids West Bank camps
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Israeli troops raided two Palestinian refugee camps in the occupied West Bank's north overnight, the military said, as Israel presses offensives on multiple fronts. The military said that at 'around 4:00 a.m. Israeli forces entered Balata camp,' near the northern city of Nablus, for 'a routine counter-terrorism operation.' It added that the troops had been deployed to the nearby Askar camp prior to the operation in Balata camp. Imad Zaki, head of the popular services committee of Balata camp, also said that the military began its raid at 4:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Wednesday. 'They closed all entrances to the camp, seized several homes after evicting their residents, and ordered the homeowners not to return for 72 hours. These homes were turned into military outposts and interrogation centers,' Zaki said. 'The soldiers are conducting house-to-house and neighborhood-to-neighborhood searches, destroying the contents of homes and physically assaulting the residents,' Zaki said. He added that life had been 'largely paralyzed' for the camp's residents but that no injuries were reported. In a separate statement, the military said that its forces had 'neutralized' one Palestinian overnight in the West Bank village of Al-Walaja near Jerusalem. They said that as the troops were deployed in the area, a Palestinian armed with a knife 'attempted to stab (Israeli) soldiers who were operating in the area and steal their weapons.' 'The soldiers responded with fire and neutralized the terrorist,' the army said, using a term it normally uses when someone has been killed. The Israeli military said Tuesday that its forces had been active in various parts of the Jenin area, in the northern West Bank. It said in a statement that its forces had arrested five Palestinian militants suspected of planning attacks on Israel. Throughout the Gaza war, violence in the West Bank – a separate Palestinian territory – has soared, as have calls to annex it, most notably from Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Since the start of the war in October 2023, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 939 Palestinians, including many militants, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Over the same period, at least 35 Israelis including civilians and soldiers have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids, according to official Israeli figures.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Regional war puts Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold
BEIRUT: A Palestinian official in Lebanon announced 'the postponement of the scheduled collection of weapons from Palestinian refugee camps due to the current situation in the region.' The announcement came just hours before the Lebanese government was set to begin disarming Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut and its suburbs this week. Citing a Lebanese official familiar with Palestinian affairs in Lebanon, Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that 'Palestine renewed its commitment to the joint statement issued on May 21 following the meeting held between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and President Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut.' He added that the statement emphasized 'Lebanon's sovereignty, the extension of state authority, and the exclusive right of the Lebanese state to bear arms, as well as the need to end any manifestations outside its authority. 'Palestinian security and military bodies will begin full cooperation with the Lebanese security forces as agreed upon when conditions permit and after the necessary preparations are completed,' the official said. On the Lebanese side, the only statement issued in this regard was by Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, who said that 'he received a call from Azzam Al-Ahmad, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, during which they discussed the latest developments.' Dimashkieh affirmed that 'the dialogue committee is fully committed to the joint statement issued by the Lebanese and Palestinian presidents, which clearly emphasized respect for Lebanese sovereignty, the principle of exclusive state control over weapons, and the necessity of ending the visible presence of Palestinian arms, according to a specific timeline.' Youssef Al-Zari'i, Fatah's media representative in Sidon, confirmed that Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Islamic movements, all expressed willingness to hand over weapons and allow Lebanese authority throughout the country. However, he argued that delays are 'reasonable given the delicate regional situation,' with implementation tied to evolving Middle Eastern dynamics. Palestinian sources told Arab News that significant resistance has emerged within Palestinian ranks over Abbas's quick acceptance of disarmament deadlines. 'Multiple Palestinian factions, particularly within Fatah, are uncomfortable with Abbas's hasty agreement to weapon collection schedules,' one insider said. Beyond regional timing issues, fundamental questions about execution mechanisms remain unresolved. 'Fatah claims it holds limited heavy weapons in Lebanese camps compared to other groups, especially Hamas,' a source said. Since Fatah's weapons belong to the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and operate under Lebanese oversight, unilateral disarmament could create dangerous imbalances. 'If Fatah surrenders its arsenal while Hamas and affiliated groups retain theirs, Fatah becomes vulnerable within camp dynamics,' the source warned. Hamas continues defending its Lebanese weapons as legitimate resistance tools while deflecting surrender demands through broader political arguments. The group links disarmament to comprehensive refugee solutions, including return rights and enhanced social protections for displaced populations in Lebanon. Palestinian camps across Lebanon emphasize that sustainable solutions must address living standards, legal rights including property ownership, while maintaining respect for Lebanese sovereignty and law. The Lebanese and Palestinian presidents announced in a joint statement issued following their meeting a few weeks ago 'the formation of joint committees to address the issue of Palestinian weapons in refugee camps and to monitor the situation in the Palestinian camps.' They affirmed their commitment to the principle of placing all weapons under Lebanese state control. According to a joint Lebanese-Palestinian census conducted in 2017, the number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated at around 200,000. Many live in harsh conditions within camps overseen by Palestinian factions and forces, which consider the possession of arms as integral to both the right of return and the broader struggle for the liberation of Palestine. Lebanon is home to 12 official Palestinian refugee camps, along with dozens of other communities dispersed across the country. The presence of weapons in Palestinian camps in Lebanon dates back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement between the PLO and the Lebanese government. The agreement stipulated that Palestinians were permitted to establish military bases in southern Lebanon and conduct political activities within the camps, effectively legitimizing armed Palestinian presence on Lebanese soil and in camps. However, following a civil war in which Palestinian weapons played a dominant role, Lebanon officially annulled the agreement in 1987. Weapons are distributed unevenly among the camps. Heavy weapons are found in the Ain Al-Hilweh camp, the most overcrowded camp and home to the various politically and militarily diverse factions, and in the Rashidieh camp in the Tyre region. This is in contrast to the Nahr Al-Bared camp in the north, which is completely devoid of weapons. It has been under the control of the Lebanese Army since 2007, following violent battles that lasted for more than three months between the Lebanese Army and Fatah Al-Islam, which launched attacks against the military that killed dozens. The disarmament process was scheduled to begin this week in the Shatila, Mar Elias, and Burj Al-Barajneh camps in Beirut and its southern suburbs. 'A committee was supposed to be formed to oversee implementation. There were discussions about assigning this role to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, which was seen by some as the appropriate authority. However, others dismissed it as a political body unrelated to the issue. This raised further questions: Who would assume responsibility for internal Palestinian affairs once weapons were handed over? Who would manage security inside the camps? And who would handle the cases of wanted individuals and those who had taken refuge there?' a Palestinian source stated. In recent months, the Lebanese Army has confiscated weapons from Palestinian military sites supported by the Syrian regime and located in the Bekaa Valley on the border with Syria. The most important of these was a base in Qusaya belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, General Command and Fatah Al-Intifada, confiscating their equipment and ammunition. Before the outbreak of the Nahr Al-Bared camp battles, Lebanese political leaders had agreed during national dialogue talks to disarm Palestinians outside the camps within six months. This commitment was later echoed in the 2008 Doha Agreement, which outlined a national defense strategy that included addressing Palestinian arms both inside and outside the camps. However, these decisions were never implemented. In the years that followed, Ain Al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, repeatedly witnessed violent clashes among rival Palestinian factions.
The National
6 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Disarmament of Palestinian camps in Lebanon likely to be postponed
The disarmament of Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps is likely to be delayed beyond a mid-June deadline, a Palestinian source told The National. An official within the Fatah movement in Lebanon said the plan will not be put into effect until after a Palestinian delegation headed by Azaam Al Ahmad returns to Beirut to meet representatives of all Palestinian factions. 'The discussion [of disarmament ] has been postponed until after Azaam Al Ahmad arrives in Lebanon,' the source said, adding that Mr Al Ahmad was not expected until 'after June 15'. He is the deputy head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), second to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who devised the agreement with Lebanese leaders. 'When Azaam al Ahmad was here, he was supposed to also meet with the coalition which includes Hamas, but their leaders were traveling,' the source said. He declined to provide an exact date. Mid-June was given as a start date for the beginning of the disarmament process for Palestinian factions in Lebanon. Lebanese political sources and officials within the Fatah movement, the dominant political party within the PLO, had said the disarmament would begin with Beirut camps Shatila, Burj Al Barajneh, and Mar Elias. Hamas in Lebanon has dismissed the disarmament plan agreed upon by Mr Abbas and Lebanese leaders as 'unilateral', saying they had been left out of the agreement between Palestinian officials and Lebanese leaders. The disarmament plan represents only Hamas's main opponent, the Palestinian Authority, the movement has said. Hamas also said it was never formally informed of a decision to disarm the camps, insisting on a dialogue of representatives from all Palestinian factions – including a coalition of factions that includes Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other Islamist groups not under the authority of the PLO. The disarmament decision has also stirred controversy within Palestinian factions in Lebanon that also hold membership in the PLO, which contains representatives of a diverse array of Palestinian factions with varying ideologies. On Friday, a statement by the Lebanese branch of the Popular Struggle Front, a PLO member, was critical of the unilateral nature of the disarmament decision, saying the agreement was never presented to all Palestinian factions in Lebanon. 'It would have been more appropriate for the owner of the vision and ideas to present them' to representatives of the joint factions in Lebanon, said Tamer Aziz Abu Al Abed, a representative of the Struggle Front. He added that the plan had not achieved a majority of Palestinian confidence or approval in Lebanon. 'We hope in the coming days to put all the papers up for discussion with the presidential delegation coming to Lebanon,' he said. The issue of disarming Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps, which are not under Lebanese state control, has long been contentious. Groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, dedicated to armed resistance against Israel and allied with Hezbollah, have frequently used Lebanon as a base to launch rockets at Israel. Disarming the camps comes under a broader initiative by Lebanese leaders to limit and disarm non-state forces. But the memory of Lebanon's 1975–1990 civil war – during which Palestinian militias were among the main participants, alongside a series of Lebanese factions and international proxies – still lingers for many Palestinians, who view weapons as essential for self-defence. Weaponry also holds deep symbolic value for Palestinians in Lebanon, many of whom were expelled from their land in 1948 during the Nakba, which marked the creation of what is now Israel. For them, arms represent not only protection but a continuing struggle to return to their homeland. Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom live in the 12 overcrowded camps, according to the UN agency UNRWA. Most are direct refugees or descendants of Palestinians who were expelled from their land during a violent mass removal that led to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. They face a variety of legal restrictions in Lebanon, including on employment.
Al Bawaba
11-06-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
Israeli assaults kill 80, wound hundreds in Gaza since morning
ALBAWABA- At least 80 Palestinians have been killed and 363 injured in Israeli military operations across Gaza since dawn today, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hospital sources report that 78 of the deaths resulted from Israeli attacks in various parts of the Strip, with Al-Awda Hospital confirming three fatalities from a drone strike west of the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. The Health Ministry also reported a rising toll among civilians waiting for humanitarian assistance, with 224 now confirmed dead and 1,858 injured while seeking aid. Amid the growing humanitarian catastrophe, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) issued a sharp rebuke of the Israeli-American aid delivery model in Gaza, calling it dangerous, ineffective, and a distraction from ongoing atrocities. 'This model wastes resources and does not address the core issue: Israel must lift the blockade and allow us safe and unrestricted access to deliver life-saving assistance,' a UNRWA statement read. Meanwhile, Israel's public broadcaster reported that four Israeli soldiers were wounded in two separate incidents in Khan Yunis. One attack involved an armed Palestinian cell firing a rocket at a tank, injuring two soldiers from the 74th Armored Battalion. International diplomatic tensions are also intensifying. The U.S. reportedly sent a confidential cable discouraging allies from participating in a UN conference on a two-state solution, expressing opposition to any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The memo, cited by Reuters, warned that actions viewed as hostile to Israel could be seen as contrary to U.S. interests and might carry consequences. The United Nations continues to face Israeli resistance in accessing fuel reserves in Rafah, crucial for humanitarian operations. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added that over 10,000 critically ill patients in Gaza still require urgent medical evacuation and called for immediate approval of all crossing points to facilitate transfers.
LBCI
28-05-2025
- Business
- LBCI
UNRWA chief warns of the organization's dire financial state
The chief of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) on Wednesday said the organization's financial situation is desperate, adding that it urgently needs support to continue operations past June. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini gave his remarks during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. Reuters
