On the question of Fatah leaders in Beirut
Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 11/30/1999

Well-informed Palestinian circles have asserted their conviction that the failure of attempts made to reach a solution to disputes with the Lebanese government is mainly attributed to a lack of confidence.

The Palestinian circles added that obstructing the role played by the chairman of the PLO political department, Farouk al-Qaddoumi, and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat resorting to the mediation of the Arab League or Cairo indicates the escalation of the crisis.

The circles said that the failure of these attempts may be attributed to the gap between the Syrian and Lebanese views and the Palestinian views towards what is taking place in Lebanon and that the measures taken against the leaders of the Fatah movement in Lebanon came as a shock to the Palestinian team, which did not expect Lebanon to raise the level of confrontation to this extent. Sentencing Abu al-Einin to death in absentia and reviving two arrest warrants against other two Fatah officials all indicate Lebanon's intention to proceed towards a new phase in the relations with the Palestinian issue in Lebanon.

The Palestinian circles said they believe that Lebanon fears a role that will be played by Arafat's supporters in annoying the Lebanese - Syrian position in response to Israeli demands for greater pressure by the side of the "Israeli enemy" against Syria.

The circles continued that the Lebanese security forces monitored for a while contacts and moves indicate a role that Arafat's supporters are ready to carry out, "a role which has its own explanation as a pressure paper with the development of the political event."

The new development between the Fatah and the Lebanese government is an additional message by both Syria and Lebanon on the inability of one side to settle the question of the refugees apart from countries which host the majority of the Palestinians.

Besides all these estimates, Arafat's supporters inside the Palestinian camps in Lebanon spread rumors that one of the main reasons behind chasing leaders of the Fatah movement is the Fatah leaders' refusal to comply with certain demands to "chase the Islamic groups" which work inside the camps, especially "Abu Muhjin" group which is stationed inside Ein al-Helweh camp and includes a number of persons "wanted" for security and political reasons and that Fatah had responded to those who are "wanted for ordinary crimes," but not others for fear that might lead to fighting that would lead to killing hundreds in these camps.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese army arrest two of the Fatah leaders   (11/25/1999)
  Contacts with Israel to permit Abu al-Einin into Gaza   (11/17/1999)
  Arafat asks the mediation of the Arab League for Abu al-Einin   (11/3/1999)

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