The impact of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon on Palestinian refugees
Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 3/21/2000

The chairman of the Political bureau at the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Farouk Qaddoumi said, "I think when the Israeli forces withdraw (not redeploy) its forces in south Lebanon, it will be then the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland."

He added that if peace is established between Lebanon and Israel, the Israelis will prevent the Palestinian refugees from returning, which means the Israelis want to prevent the Palestinians from restoring their right to return to the north of Palestine and then, "Confrontations will take place and the conditions will be intensified."

In a statement to the Lebanese daily al-Nahar issued on Monday, Qaddoumi added, "This is, I think, what President Emile Lahoud means when he says we cannot prevent the Palestinians from going to their homeland."

Replying to a question on declaring the "provisional" Palestinian state, Qaddoumi said this declaration will be made this year.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese premier at the Vatican   (3/3/2000)
  Egyptian, Lebanese presidents call for Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon, Golan   (2/21/2000)
  Lebanese president holds Israel responsible for deterioration of conditions in south Lebanon   (2/9/2000)

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