It is interesting to note the battle of hearts going on between the Syrian regime and the Hariri bloc with regards to the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
While we've heard and have been hearing that the Syrian regime is playing up its Palestinian refugee card (weapons, terrorism, fanaticism and what not), Bahia Hariri has been meeting in Majdilyoun day in and day out with representatives of Palestinian refugee camps, especially Ain El-Hilweh, discussing venues of dialogue and development, the latest of which was on Sunday, the details for a project to re-develop Ain El-Hilweh's infrastructure is in the works.
The Syrian regime, as always, using the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and even Syria as bargaining chips; never really cared about their cause in of itself.
But we say, "ENOUGH!" "Kafa!" Enough using the refugees as bargaining chips, enough of leveraging their desperation to create terroristic time bombs. Enough, we say.
And I say, YES to development, YES to initiating a dialogue that has been suppressed for so long, YES to resolving the standing, sticky issues, YES to breaking the stereotypes.
What will those in Ain El-Hilweh choose? The Syrian gift of death, terror, fanaticism, and perpetual destitution, or the gift of moving forward, a chance of change with a commitment ot relinquish the arms?
It's indeed a battle of hearts and we are yet to see its outcomes unfold.
"Nobody knows how many rebellions, besides political rebellions, ferment in the masses of life which people earth."
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3 comments:
doha,
one would think (or at least, hope) that the choice is quite obvious. Considering the desperate situation in the camps however, and the suffering that is endured by the refugees, I'm afraid that there will be a tough struggle.
See Tueni's editorial today:
http://www.annaharonline.com/htd/GASSAN051003.HTM
Given the Palis leadership's propensity to make all the wrong choices, I am not too optimistic.
Having said that. For the umpteeth time it should NOT be up to the Palis to choose between "good" and "bad" behavior.
Ir is up to the Lebanese friggin authority to apply the law and defend its OWN friggin nation, 40 years too late and still waiting.
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