Intifada at Palestinian Camps in Tyre Ahead of Abbas” Visit to Beirut
Scores of Fatah officers have launched an uprising against the movement”s National Security Forces official in Lebanon Brig. Gen. Adib al-Hassan to protest a new shake-up within the military ranks in the Palestinian refugee camps of Tyre.
Sources close to the protestors told As Safir daily that their "Intifada" came after al-Hassan gave leadership responsibilities to a single commander rather than having three people in charge of security at each camp.
As Safir said the officers held talks at one of Fatah”s headquarters at Rashidiyeh camp and decided to refuse the shake-up which "limits their authorities." However, al-Hassan retaliated by withdrawing their allowances.
The sources told the newspaper that there are around 600 Fatah officers in camps in the Tyre area in southern Lebanon, including 400 in Rashidiyeh.
As Safir said that the conferees sent a letter of protest to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Central Committee and the movement”s leadership urging the Fatah chief to "immediately interfere to solve the situation before it goes out of hand."
The letter also said that the officers lack social and administrative needs and are suffering because of "al-Hassan”s moody stances."
Furthermore, the conferees accused al-Hassan of being responsible for what they called a chaos within the ranks of the National Security Forces-Lebanon.
Abbas will make a brief visit to Lebanon on Monday for talks with President Michel Suleiman on bilateral relations and the plight of Palestinian refugees.
During his visit Abbas will also discuss the Middle East peace process and the rebuilding of the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon.