The largest “Palestinian refugee camp” on Lebanese soil, Ain al-Hilweh, is a battleground as six days of fierce clashes between “Palestinian” factions have killed 15, injured dozens and forced many more to flee their homes.
Rival groups, primarily from Fatah and Islamic groups reignited the conflict after the collapse of a 24-hour ceasefire. Machine gun fire and grenades echoed through the camp, with the sounds of fighting reaching the nearby city of Sidon. Approximately 2,000 of the camp’s 50,000 residents sought refuge in schools where they received medical assistance.
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which provides support for the permanent multi-generational refugees, a school complex located between the conflicting sides’ headquarters was severely damaged after being used by the combatants during the fighting.
The clashes stem from a failed attempt by Fatah members to kill Mahmoud Khalil, a senior figure in an Islamist terror group called Junud al-Sham. In retaliation, Junud al-Sham killed Abu Ashraf al-Armouchi, a Fatah man responsible for security inside the camp.
Both sides accuse each other of violating short-lived ceasefires. One key sticking point is Fatah’s demand that Junud al-Sham hand over the gunmen responsible for killing Armouchi.
One of the suspects in the murder is Bilal Badr, who residents call the “Rambo of Ain al-Hilweh.” Relatives, including clerics and activists in various organizations, have tried to convince the pro-Syria Badr to turn himself in.
In a bid to end the fighting, a delegation entered the camp to mediate, but a ceasefire it achieved collapsed within two hours.
Asbat al Ansar, an extremist Islamic organization linked to Al-Qaeda and involved in the fighting, accused Fatah of attacking civilian neighborhoods and mosques. Meanwhile, Fatah has summoned dozens of gunmen from the nearby Mieh Mieh refugee camp.
Hamas supreme leader Ismail Haniyeh sent appeals to the Lebanese government and factional leaders, including Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday demanding they intervene.
However, the Lebanese Armed Forces have shown no signs that they will take action. Under a long-standing status quo, the army does not enter the any of the 12 refugee camps in Lebanon. Instead, the camps — home to 489,000 people— are policed by the “Palestinian” factions themselves.
Instead, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to end the fighting on Thursday.
The densely populated Ain al-Hilweh camp was established in 1948 and is only one-third of a square kilometer in size. According to UNRWA, the administration and security of the camps is the responsibility of the host countries.
“Palestinian refugees” in Lebanon face numerous legal and social challenges. Lebanese law prohibits them from working in most professions, owning or inheriting property, or becoming naturalized citizens. They are also denied access to Lebanese healthcare and rely on UNRWA clinics for medical services. Despite having been born and resided in Lebanon for generations, they are the only group in the world that transfers down their refugee status to the next generation as part of maintaining their war against Israel.
