Electronic Lebanon

Dr. Marcy Newman writing from Beirut, Live from Lebanon, 2 June 2007

1 June 2007

For the past 800 and some odd days in Lebanon, especially in Rafiq Hariri strongholds, there have been signs counting the days until "the truth" (al-haqiqa) is learned about Hariri's assassination (in other words, until Syria can be blamed). This "truth" seems to be the only one that matters in Lebanon right now.

Electronic Lebanon
Dr. Marcy Newman, Electronic Lebanon, 28 May 2007
27 May 2007

Daily Star
By Hani M. Bathish
Friday, June 01, 2007

BEIRUT: Clashes resumed Thursday night around the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp near Tripoli, with intermittent gunfire breaking out after a day of "uneasy calm" during which the army continued to strengthen its positions around the camp while Palestinian clerics pressed their mediation efforts. Sheikh Mohammed al-Hajj, who leads the delegation of Palestinian clerics trying to mediate a peaceful solution to the standoff, told The Daily Star that efforts are continuing and rumors that mediation efforts had failed are not true.

Members of the Nahr el Bared Relief Campaign speak on the growing humanitarian crisis in Palestinian camps.
Rania Masri on Crossing the Line, and on Flashpoints Radio
Rami Zurayek on KiwiFM
Marcy Newman on Flashpoints Radio

Electronic Lebanon
In the worst internal violence since the end of Lebanon's bloody civil war 17 years ago, fighting between the Lebanese army and the shadowy militant group Fatah Al-Islam has claimed at least 80 lives as of 22 May 2007, including combatants as well as civilians. On 20 May, Lebanese security forces raided a Tripoli building to arrest bank robbery suspects, which was followed by an attack by Fatah Al-Islam militants on Lebanese army installations at the entrance to Nahr Al-Bared camp.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0705/S00465.htm
Monday, 28 May 2007, 9:21 am
By Prof. Rami Zurayk

Committee to Protect Journalists

New York, May 25, 2007 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that journalists have been prevented since Monday from entering a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon during clashes between Islamist militants and the Lebanese Army.

They called it a second nakba (catastrophe). "The first one in 1948 was a black and white nakba, it was easy to know who our enemies were. This one is more colorful." This is how Palestinian refugees from Nahr al-Bared camp described their flight to Badawi refugee camp, about twenty kilometers away. Their escape, as with their experience under fire in the Nahr al-Bared camp, was traumatizing.

Sami Hermez
Electronic Lebanon
25 May 2007

A few days ago I woke in the morning to find the following email in my inbox asking for my support and signature:

"Our Army is our pride -- Petition

* Our support goes to the Lebanese Army, our soldiers, our national pride
* We send our condolences to the families and the martyrs
* Always proud, always in our hearts, always in our prayers! God Bless YOU and your families for the sacrifices you make each and every day

Dr. Marcy Newman
Electronic Lebanon
26 May 2007

As we walked in to Shatila refugee camp in Beirut this morning we were approached by a family from Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Tripoli who was wandering the streets of the camp in search of a place to live. They fled the violence in their camp and made it to Beirut to seek shelter. This family is one of 100 families who are now residing in Palestinian homes inside Shatila camp, with around 30 people to each two-room flat on top of the already family living in these homes and some of these homes have no electricity.