LEBANON: PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN SOUTHERN LEBANON CAMP SAY THEY WANT A PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT WHO GUARANTEES 'THE RIGHT OF RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND'

Record ID: 275297

  • Title: LEBANON: PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN SOUTHERN LEBANON CAMP SAY THEY WANT A PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT WHO GUARANTEES 'THE RIGHT OF RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND'
  • Date: 10th January 2005
  • Summary: (U4) AEN EL-HILWEH CAMP, SOUTHERN LEBANON (JANUARY 10, 2005) ( REUTERS) 1. SLV CAMP ENTRANCE 0.07 2. SV PALESTINIAN AND LEBANESE FLAGS 0.11 3. SV ARMED MAN SITTING AT ENTRY 0.17 4. SLV CHECKPOINT 0.23 5. SLV SCHOOL ENTRANCE 0.28 6. SLV VARIOUS OF CHILDREN IN STREET (3 SHOTS) 0.41 7. MCU (Arabic) CAMP RESIDENT
  • Embargoed: 25th January 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVA6RERNDEAWN5CX0NL79RCYD2S0
  • Story Text: Palestinian refugees in a southern Lebanon camp say
    they want a Palestinian president who guarantees 'the right
    of return to their homeland.'


    On Monday (January 10, 2005) Palestinian refugees in
    Lebanon's Ain el-Hilweh camp said that they supported
    Sunday's Palestinian election and wished they could have
    taken part in the poll.

    Because of the Oslo agreement they are deprived of
    their right to vote and participate in elections.

    Many refugees said the elections were transparent and
    democratic and Palestinians had proved they were civilized
    people.

    They also said they wished for a president that would
    respect the rights of Palestinian people.

    "We don't know if he'll follow Arafat's leads or not,
    days will show this," one of the camp's residents said.

    Most of the Ain el-Hilweh residents said they will give
    their full support to Mahmoud Abbas, the winner of the
    Palestinian election with 62.3 per cent, as long as he
    works on the rights of Palestinians, in particular their
    right to return to their homelands, and the right to an
    independent Palestinian state.

    "There are Palestinian certainties that Arafat set
    which are the right to return and the right to have a
    Palestinian state and for sure Abu Mazen will track them
    and no-one can bypass the certainties that President Arafat
    set," another Palestinian refugee said.

    The sweeping victory by Mahmoud Abbas, an advocate of
    non-violence, in Palestinian presidential elections stirred
    hopes on Monday for a revival of peace talks, but Israel
    demanded a Palestinian crackdown on militants first. Israel has
    said it sees Abbas as a man to do business
    with and has praised his calls for an end to violence in a
    four-year-old Palestinian uprising. But it has criticised
    his intention to co-opt rather than confront militants.

    A Palestinian Liberation Organisation Press Officer,
    Ibrahim al Shayeb in the camp said he hoped Abbas would
    follow Arafat's lead.

    "I heard this morning when I was watching TV that
    Israeli papers said that it is true that Arafat is dead but
    Mahmoud Abbas is the same as Arafat but with diplomatic
    outfit and this is assuring that Abu Mazen Head of PLO will
    follow the lead of Arafat," he told Reuters.

    Militants, including the Islamic movement Hamas, have
    defied Abbas's demands to end armed struggle. And neither
    Palestinians nor Israelis have shown signs of compromise on
    fundamental issues behind decades of conflict.

    Turnout in the first Palestinian presidential election
    since 1996 looked healthy despite a boycott call by Islamic
    militants, strengthening Abbas's mandate for change after
    Arafat's death at the age of 75 on November 11.


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