(Beirut, Lebanon) After the success of May 15, the Organizing Commission for the return to Palestine had announced a second action for June 5. The march to the southern borders of Lebanon did not take place.
A Palestinian activist highly involved in the organization, under the cover of anonymity, explained to Webdo the reasons for the cancellation of the event and exposed the rest of the actions.
“The Lebanese state and the army have declared the border region closed military zone. No one can access it without prior authorization. We do not want to face the Lebanese army which is on our side in the Lutre against our common enemy”. He also explained that it was not a cancellation but a simple postponement.
The demonstration of May 15 was partly sponsored by Hezbollah, which guaranteed the obtaining of the authorization to demonstrate. The activist said that Hassan Nasrallah’s party “contributed to the smooth running of walking by offering food and medical help. The party is present in these regions and has helped”.
For this time, Hezbollah was not in great help in obtaining the permit to demonstrate, in particular in the absence of a government in Lebanon.
In Beirut, it is said that in this unstable political situation, no one wants to take charge of a new major action that would still cause the dead among the Palestinians and which could go so far as to trigger a new war.
Mini demonstrations in the camps
On the other hand, on June 5, several demonstrations took place, mainly, in the Palestinian camps. It was mainly gatherings in the Palestinian camps.
At Camp Mar Elyas, in Beirut, a Palestinian artist exhibited photos of Palestinian cities, mainly his, Jaffa, in a setting of oranges, fruit that made his city famous.
Only a small group of around twenty people (17 Lebanese and 3 Palestinians) was able to reach borders. Assad Abou Rached, one of the 20 young people, telling the trip to Webdo, said that he had crossed 27 army control points. “We had hidden our flags and Keffiehs. We said we are doing a picnic”. At one of the last checkpoints, Samir Kintar, dean of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, intervened so that the group could reach the borders for a few minutes. They then turned back to Sayda, under escort of the army.
“There was the same deployment of the Lebanese armed forces as on May 15. But we were only 20 people this time, there were 300 soldiers before us”.
Effect of Tunisia
As for the influence of the Arab Spring on the Palestinian resistance, the Palestinian activist confirmed that it has acquired a new spirit inspired by Arab revolutions. “It is true that the revolutions inspired the Palestinians and especially young people and even very young”, while specifying: “I only see the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions as a source of inspirations. The others have deviated from the right path.”
“The young people in the camps followed what was going on in Tunisia where youth wanted to live better. The young Palestinians wondered why they do not in turn move to claim their rights, already guaranteed by international decisions for even 1948. Their right is all the fairer”
One of the main slogans of demonstrations in Tunisia was “work, freedom, national dignity”. The activist has focused on dignity. “We want the same thing. We live in camps, abroad. It is worse than in Tunisia and Egypt. We want to live better certainly, but in our country first”.
