Sabra and Shatilla, Damour, and Karantina Massacres

Karantina Massacre

The Karantina massacre took place early in the Lebanese Civil War on January 18, 1976. With the breakdown in authority of the Lebanese government the militancy of radical factions increased. Black Saturday preceded Karantina by six weeks. Karantina was a predominantly Muslim slum district in Christian east Beirut controlled by forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), inhabited by Kurds, Syrians, Armenians and Palestinians. The fighting and subsequent killings also involved an old quarantine area near the port and nearby Maslakh quarter. Karantina was overrun by the Lebanese Christian militias, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,000-1,500 people. After Kataeb Regulatory Forces (KRF), Guardians of the Cedars (GoC), NLP Tiger militia and Lebanese Youth Movement (LYM) forces took control of the Karantina district on 18 January 1976, Tel al-Zaatar was placed under siege. The Damour massacre was a reprisal for Karantina.

Damour Massacre

Islamists "Palestinians" massacre of Christians in Damour that brought Christian Arabs killing "Palestinians" in Sabra Shatila. You might have only heard about the massacre at Sabra Shatila through a pro "Palestinian" propagandist that have one, and nothing but one issue, no, nothing that has to with justice whatsoever, but to persecute Israel and denigrate it. It is only natural that they blame ANYTHING on the Zionists, even though the only connection to the case where Arab Christians killed the Arab Palestinians in Sabra Shatila is the "charge" that Sharon did not prevent the Arab Christians from doing that... in other words Sharon did not rush to help the "Palestinians"... Truth is however, that not much is known what proceeded it, the Damour Massacre is almost not talked about, it was one of the major reasons why the Arab Christians in Lebanon decided the had enough with the "Palestinian" continuing crimes in coordination with Syria's occupying forces, in their country.

Sabra and Shatila Massacre

The 1982 massacre of Palestinian innocents at Sabra & Shatilla was committed in revenge for a massacre of Christians by Palestinians 6 years earlier at Damour in Lebanon. That massacre in turn was revenge for a previous one by Christians. All were part of a savage civil war. Ariel Sharon was cynically blamed by PLO propagandists and Israeli hard leftists, but he was cleared of responsibility by a Jury in New York. Israel's government commission also cleared him of direct responsibility but chided him for not preventing the crime committed by others, an exceptionally high standard.

Know the Facts!

List of Lebanese Massacres

No Such Thing as Persian Civilization

Nasrallah Provokes Iran: No Such Thing as Persian Civilization

In video posted on YouTube, Hezbollah leader says Ayatollah Khomeini was an 'Arab and son of an Arab, descendant of Muhammad'; praises Khamenei's handling of post-election unrest.

VIDEO - "Today there is no such thing as Persian civilization in Iran. There is an Islamic civilization in Iran. There is (prophet) Muhammad's religion in Iran," Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in a YouTube video which angered many in the Islamic Republic.




The head of the Lebanese Shiite group went as far as saying that the leader of Iran's Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, as well as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are of Arab descent.

"Khomeini is an Arab and the son of an Arab who is a descendant of Muhammad. Khamenei is a descendant of the Arab dynasty of Muhammad's descendants," he said.

In the video, Nasrallah also addressed the civil unrest that followed the disputed presidential elections of June 12, 2009 and praised Khamenei's handling of the crisis. "Iran – the regime, government and people were blessed with a wise, courageous and merciful leader in the imam Khamenei," said the Hezbollah chief.

The comments were made in two separate speeches delivered by Nasrallah. It is not known who posted the video on YouTube, but some estimate it may be elements trying to drive a wedge between Iran and Hezbollah in the aftermath of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent visit to Lebanon.

The remarks elicited numerous responses, particularly from Iranian bloggers and internet surfers abroad. A group of Iranian exiles even set up a Facebook page titled, "We, Iranian, hate Nasrallah." More than 6,000 people have already joined the online protest against Nasrallah.

The "Green Embassy Campaign," which was set up by Iranian diplomats who defected to the West, called Nasrallah's comments "worrying" and "baseless." They said the remarks are indicative of the price the regime in Tehran is willing to pay in order to be considered the leader of the Islamic world, even at the expense of Persian history.

The majority of Iranians are Shiite Muslims, while most Arabs are Sunni Muslims




Ynet News

Report: Hezbollah Getting Ready to Take Over Lebanon

Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper says Shiite group, together with other elements, planning to take over Lebanon as international tribunal prepares to issue ruling on Hariri assassination.

Hezbollah is gearing up to take over Lebanon ahead of an international tribunal's ruling on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Tuesday that the Islamist group has been in contact with Shiite group Amal and pro-Syrian organizations in Lebanon in order to set a plan to seize control of the country after the court's ruling.

A source close to Hezbollah told the paper that the plan, which is focused on Beirut and south Lebanon, "Will end Saad Hariri and the Saudis' tenure in Lebanon for good." It is estimated that the UN court will place Hezbollah responsible for the Hariri's assassination.

On Monday, the Al Akhbar daily reported that "key element in the opposition (i.e Hezbollah) is holding an electronic discourse with Lebanese elements."

According to al-Sharq al-Awsat, the parties discussed the division of areas between the various forces in a way which will allow them to seize control of their respective areas when the time comes.

It was also reported that as part of preparations, Beirut will be divided into three military zones.

'No one can predict future'
A senior Hezbollah source refused to confirm or deny the report but said, "Everyone knows that the state in the Lebanon is a reason for concern, because all of the opportunities to 'solve the situation' have thus far failed.

"It would not be useful to discuss scenarios in the media, however no one can predict what will happen in the future," he added.

The Amal movement denied the report and said it was not in a position "to make plans for conflicts."

Last week, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah called on the Lebanese people not to cooperate with IJC clerks after they visited a gynecological practice near Beirut and were attacked by 150 women who snatched one of their cases containing investigation materials.

Rafik Hariri

Ynet News

Message to the World

by Ron Ben Yishay

News report about Hezbollah arms smuggling prepares world for possible war.

One should carefully read the report published by reputable French daily Le Figaro Tuesday about the Hezbollah arms smuggling operation. The report includes credible information, at an unprecedented scope and detail, regarding Iran’s effort to arm and fortify the Lebanese Shiite group with active Syrian assistance.

However, the main reason why this report deserves special attention has to do with the messages inherent in it and the timing of its publication. We can assume, with great degree of certainty, that whoever provided the reputable French newspaper with sensitive intelligence information wanted to achieve several aims.

The first aim is to slam the facts in the face of international public opinion, so that the UN, the West, Arab states and the global media won’t pretend to be surprised if and when Israel undertakes powerful, destructive strikes. Such actions would target the immense rocket and missile arsenal in Lebanon, as well as the states that contributed to establishing it, that is, Lebanon and Syria.

The French report is not the first one aiming to achieve this objective. In recent months, Israeli and global media outlets published a significant number of stories accompanied by detailed aerial photographs showing Hezbollah men training in Syria on using various types of missiles. The reports also revealed that Hezbollah places these arms in the midst of civilian populations and far away from Israel’s border, to make it difficult for the IDF to target the weapons (and so that Israel would be accused of war crimes against civilians should it act.)

In order to expose the plots of Hezbollah and its patrons, IDF Northern Command Chief Gadi Eisenkott presented journalists (about three months ago) with detailed information and photos about Hezbollah’s deployment and arms depots at the southern Lebanon town of al-Khiyam. The efforts to prepare global public opinion in advance already proved themselves in the second Intifada and ahead of Operation Cast Lead as a critical component that grants Israel justification and relative freedom to act.

We can therefore assume that Israel, apparently in cooperation with France, is also behind the latest French report. France views itself as holding responsibility and special ties with Lebanon, and the information leaked by the French Defense Ministry (according to Le Figaro) constitutes a message to Lebanon and Syria in and of itself.

Syria targets fair game
The leak’s timing, right after Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon, was meant to prove that France, just like Israel, treats the Iranian president’s threats seriously and is concerned by them. The report meant to prove, using facts and figures, that as opposed to Western commentary that viewed the Iranian president’s impassioned zeal as Mideastern arrogance that is empty of substance, we are dealing with a plan of action and available means to carry it out by Hezbollah, once it receives the green light from Tehran.

Another inherent message in the report is directed at Damascus. President Bashar Assad, who constantly declares his desire for peace with Israel, would have trouble explaining how such statements are commensurate with the flames he’s been fanning by helping Hezbollah (which operates in the heart of Damascus, several kilometers away from the Syrian presidential palace and under the watchful eye of Assad’s security services.)

The message was not only meant to embarrass the Syrian president, but also to indicate to him that Hezbollah’s headquarters and training camps in Syria are, in Israel’s view, legitimate targets and that he and his regime will be responsible for any damage sustained by Syria.

Another message directed at Syria, as well as at the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, is that their acts are transparent and that Israeli and Western intelligence agencies are aware of them. This also means that Israel’s flights above Lebanon are necessary, despite the UN condemnations. These spy missions are mostly needed in order to ascertain whether the Iranians, via the Syrians, are transferring what Israel refers to as “balance-breaking weapons” into Lebanon.

Such weapons include anti-aircraft missile batteries that would limit the Israel Air Force’s maneuvers, as well as long-term Scud missiles. Should such weapons be transferred nonetheless, Israel may respond with great force.

While the above messages will not bring about the termination of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile arsenal, they serve Israel’s deterrent power and are supposed to grant it legitimacy for “disproportional” acts should such strikes be required in Lebanon, and possibly in Syria as well.





Ynet News

Ahmadinejad: Lebanon a School of Jihad

Hezbollah holds mass rally in honor of visiting Iranian president. Ahmadinejad says Lebanon is ' example and school for unwavering resistance to the world's tyrants'; adds both nations oppose 'crimes of Zionist enemy'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on a two-day visit to Lebanon, spoke before a mass rally organized in is honor by Hezbollah at the Dahiya quarter of Beirut, which is considered one of the Shiite group's strongholds.

Wednesday's rally, which saw masses gather at a local soccer field, waving Iranian flags and chanted "Welcome" in Persian, was missing Hezbollah Chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who welcomed Ahmadinejad to Lebanon via a video feed from his bunker: "I welcome you here on behalf of the injured, the dead, the released prisoners and this people, who have fought to create the miracle of victory. You are a steadfast staff for the resistance."

"I come from the land of the Imam Khomeini, bearing the best wishes of the Iranian people and its leaders," Ahmadinejad told the masses. "Lebanon is the an example and school for unwavering resistance to the world's tyrants and a university for Jihad. Visiting Lebanon and meeting the leaders is a dream come true for me."

Ahmadinejad spoke in Persian and used an interpreter.

The Iranian leader wasted no time in attacking Israel for violating the Palestinians' rights: "Do you see anything but crimes in the past actions of the Zionist regime? The massacre of innocent people, the use of weapons, razing homes, confiscating medicine, food and water, attacking civilians in international waters and threatening the world is an everyday occurrence for them."

The West, he added, considers Israel "means of dominating the world," and to that end it has given it nuclear weapons.

Israel's weakness exposed
Turning his attention to the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead, the Iranian president said the two military campaigns "exposed Israel's weakness… it is also possible that those barbaric Zionists will seek a new regional adventure to try and compensate. I say – any attack will only bring this phony regime closer to its end."

As for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the talks are taking place while Israel "is perpetuating the occupation and disrespects International Law," he said. "The only way to resolve the problems in Palestine and bring peace to the region is to recognize the rights of the Palestinians, allow the refugees to return to their land and send the conquerors back to their homelands. The Zionists must return Palestine to its true owner, or they will be obliterated by the wrath of the Palestinian people."

Ahmadinejad accused Israel once more of kidnapping four Iranian diplomats 28 years ago. Israel has denied any involvement in the case, but according to the Iranian leader, "There is clear documentation that they are alive and held in a Zionist prison. The Zionists are responsible for their well being and must allow the Red Cross to visit them."

Iran and Hezbollah's grand plan
"There is negative talk in the Middle East about the Iranian plan, and they are planning to counter it, but I can testify – the Iranians want the same thing as the Palestinians," Nasrallah – speaking from his bunker – told the masses attending the rally.

"The Iranian and Palestinian plan is to see all the land, from river to sea, return to its owners. This was Khomeini's stand and Ahmadinejad said as much in his UN address – Israel is not a legitimate country. As for Lebanon, they want it to be a liberated, respectable country."

Eelier Wednesday, the Iranian president met with his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman. After the meeting, Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying that "Lebanon has changed the equation of hostility in the region, turning the tables in its favor."

As for Israel, the Iranian leader said that Lebanon and the Islamic Republic were "two nations that love each other and share common interests. Both peoples object to the occupation and crimes perpetrated by the Zionist enemy. We support the Palestinian refugees return to their conquered land and the bitter fights against Zionist aggression."

The Hezbollah chief went on to laud the Iranian regime: "They have always supported us. Some say that Iran is the cause for internal strife, but Iran is one of the biggest sources for solidarity in the Islamic world."

Meanwhile, the White House condemned the visit, saying Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon showed he was continuing his "provocative ways."

Jerusalem also harshly criticized the visit, saying that Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon "illustrates how Lebanon has turned into a, Iranian satellite nation, thus joining the axis of radical countries which oppose the peace process and support terror."

Commenting on the Iranian leader's Hezbollah ties, the source said that Ahmadinejad "arrived in Lebanon like a commander arriving to inspect his troops, Hezbollah terrorists, who act as the Iranian military arm in the area.

"Anyone who holds freedom and peace dear is concerned with the Iranian defiance; and Lebanon, which could have enjoyed peace and prosperity, has turned – led by Hezbollah – into a lackey for Iranian aggression."



Ynet News

Who Rules in Palestine?

by Joe Settler

This question is not about the fact that Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas aka Abu Mazen is legally no longer the president of the Palestinian Authority and that the presidency of the PA is now in the hands of Hamas.

If you think about it, this war with Hamas is more a reflection of what goes on in Arab society in general then about destroying Israel.

Only if you understand the fiction that is called Palestine, can you then understand what is really happening in the Middle East.

There has never been a Palestinian state, a Palestinian nation, or a Palestinian people. These are just recent developments and concepts that evolved more as a reaction to what I am about to discuss then from national evolution.

Look around at all the Arab states such as Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. It's all about internecine fighting and the control of one family, tribe or clan over another — and in general the brutal and oppressive methods of keeping that control.

With the exception of Iran (established 1935, but was previously Persia) and Egypt, what Arab state even existed as an identifiably unique entity 100 years ago?

Look at their dates of statehood: Saudi Arabia — 1932, Iraq — 1932, Lebanon — 1920, Jordan - 1946, Kuwait — 1961, Syria — 1946. Until then they were just a bunch of different clans and tribes under the fist of ever-changing rulers, often external ones, with no real individually unique national identity beyond Islam and Arabia.

Even Lebanon which had its period of semi-autonomy and identity was simply one family/tribe such as the Maans or Shihabs gaining temporary control over the other clans..

The people of Palestine (as they are called now), a significant majority the descendents of immigrants from Egypt and the Syrian Levant less than 100 years ago, never had any uniquely unifying elements, history, or culture to join them together as a nation or people besides the same general nebulous Arab/Islamic tribal identity that permeates the entire Middle East.

Until the Arabs attacked Israel and created the "refugee problem", there was nothing historically unique about the Palestinian people to define them as a unique people, so these internal schisms that afflicts the rest of the Middle East affects these Arabs that also live in the Land of Israel.

That affliction is the question of which tribe will rule (or at least have more control) over the others.

And while on one hand you can claim that the division is between the Islamists (Hamas) and the Nationalists (Fatah), it reality they are almost all Islamists and Nationalists.

Most likely it is due to urbanization, but the clan you are born into has become secondary as the extended family/tribal structure breaks down, while the paradigm of the tribe and clan remains in place.

Instead of the traditional family-based clan, the organizational clan has replaced it as the typical clan structure (but not as a national clan concept, just a local one). And all the while, the model of one clan trying to gain superiority over the others is just as strong as ever.

HAMAS NEEDS to fight Israel to show that it is the stronger clan than Fatah — no different than the Shiites and the Sunnis. Both (Hamas and Fatah) want to see Israel replaced by an Arab state, they just disagree on the methods, and which clan should have control.

For all their whining, crying and big talk about Palestine, you don't see a single other Arab nation coming to their aid in their war against Israel.

And why should they?

First of all, Palestine is big in their minds of the Arab people simply because their rulers use it as leverage to keep control over their populations by redirecting their citizen's anger frustration away from their oppressive and backwards regimes and against a third party enemy.

But more importantly this war isn't about defeating Israel.

This is about which clan/tribe is going to defeat the other, Israel being incidental to this battle, and as such not the fight of the other Arab nations.

Which brings us to the actual reason why Hamas is really still fighting.

Shouldn't Hamas have conceded defeat already?

Well if this war was against Israel, then yes, that would be true, but this war isn't against Israel.
THE IDF has frustrated Hamas's plan to militarily wrest control of the West Bank away from Fatah.

If Hamas can't fight Fatah directly and take over the Fatah clan by force, then the next best thing is to win over the hearts, minds and imaginations of the residents of the West Bank and show them that they will fight the common enemy between them and for them — unlike the Fatah clan.

Every day Hamas doesn't give in just means more members of Hamas tribe for them in the West Bank (and among the Arabs citizens of Israel).

No matter how bad their military losses, Hamas is achieving it goals of expanding the size of its clan simply by fighting and hanging on.

Unless Israel realizes this and totally obliterates Hamas, Hamas will have won, and will expand much more easily throughout the land.

Yes, militarily, Israel has unquestionably won, and this war will be taught in war colleges around the world as a classic case study on how a traditional military force can beat a guerilla army.

But Israel did not achieve its objective of defeating Hamas (if that was its objective).

And so while Hamas may have militarily lost this war — big time, they have achieved their objectives of remaining in power, showing they are the only clan (besides Hizbollah) to fight Israel, and most importantly expanding their fan base throughout the Land of Israel.

In short, the Fatah clan remains in power due to the graces of the IDF. If the IDF were pulled out, the Hamas clan would be in control very quickly.

And the answer to question at the top of this post is simple, there is no ruler in Palestine, because there is no a Palestine, just a bunch of clans and tribes, a bunch of loseres which can't accomplish anything in their life except death, war and destruction, fighting each other in a particular geographical region for control.




Joe Settler is a blog about the Jewish State.

UNIFIL Helped Terrorists Flee IDF

New book published by Norwegian journalist says Norwegian soldiers dressed two Lebanese terrorists in UNIFIL uniform, helped them flee Israeli jail.

BERLIN – Norwegian troops helped two Lebanese terrorists arrested by the Israel Defense Forces to escape from Israeli jail, a Norwegian journalist claims in a new book.

The author, Odd Karsten Tveit, covered the Middle East for many years and served in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose members – according to the book "Goodbye Lebanon – Israel's First Defeat", helped the prisoners escape from the al-Khaim Prison in southern Lebanon.

The incident took place in 1992. According to the book, the Norwegian forces feared that two terrorist prisoners who managed to escape from the detention facility would be tortured or executed in Israel if caught by the IDF or South Lebanon Army, and decided to help them out.

Tveit says that the soldiers dressed the detainees in UNIFIL uniform and included them in a UN convoy which left southern Lebanon through roadblocks set up by the Israeli forces.

In interview to Norwegian media, Tveit noted that the incident was kept a secret for more than 18 years and that he was given permission to reveal its details only recently by Hagrup Haukland, the former commander of UNIFIL's Norwegian battalion, who made the decision to help the two prisoners.

According to Tveit, the UNIFIL headquarters and senior Norwegian army officials were not informed of the decision.

Norwegians accused of sheltering terrorists
The book states that one of the incidents which prompted Haukland to help the prisoners was when Moshe Tamir, one of IDF's top commanders in Lebanon, arrived at the UN camp and accused the Norwegian commander of sheltering terrorists after the two had escaped from the prison.

According to the book, immediately after the confrontation with Tamir, Haukland ordered his forces "to smuggle the two terrorists immediately" and decided to hide them in a bus used by Norwegian soldiers on leave.

"The Israelis did not suspect that the terrorists are hiding among our soldiers," the book says. When the bus arrived in Beirut, the two were free to go.

Norwegian daily Aftonposten reported that the two held a press conference in September 1992 and spoke about their escape, without revealing the help they had received from the Norwegian force. According to the report, the name of one of the prisoners was Daoud Faraj.



Ynet News

Fire on Beirut's Streets: Hezbollah, Sunnis Clash

Violence erupts between Hezbollah, Sunni militia; at least three fatalities reported, including senior Hezbollah man. Lebanese army restores calm to capital; groups issue joint statement saying clash was an 'isolated event'

Clashes broke out in Beirut Tuesday evening between the Shiite organizations Hezbollah and the Sunni militia al-Ahbash. Lebanese media reported that at least three people were killed, one of them a senior Hezbollah official. It was later reported that order was restored in the city.

Hezbollah and al-Ahbash issued a joint statement late Tuesday night, saying that "the unfortunate event which took place tonight at Burj Abu Haidar, was an isolated event with no political or religious motive. The Lebanese army will conduct in investigation and will unveil those trying to hurt stability and security."

Fighting started Tuesday night in the Burj Abu Haidar neighborhood in downtown Beirut, and included RPGs and automatic weapons. According to the report, a Chevrolet containing four Hezbollah operatives entered the mixed Sunni-Shiite neighborhood in the Lebanese capital, and the passengers opened fire. The situation quickly escalated, and the Sunnis fired back at the vehicle.

The senior Hezbollah man killed in the fighting was Muhammad Fawaz, the organization's leading man in the neighborhood where the clashes took place. His assistant, Ali Jawaz, was also killed in the incident.

Lebanese authorities said Ahmad Omeirat, of the radical Sunni al-Ahbash group was also killed.

According to initial reports, the bodies of the two Hezbollah men were being held by the Sunni operatives. Hezbollah gave their Sunni rivals an ultimate of three hours to hand the bodies over.

Mosque torched, carrying weapons banned
Lebanese media reported that a mosque affiliated with the Sunni al-Ahbash movement was torched hours after the clashes broke. The Lebanese military was deployed to the neighborhood, and Lebanese Defense Minister Elias al-Murr issued a decree against carrying weapons in the streets.

Following the clashes, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who also heads the Shiite Amal movement, discussed the situation and agreed the fighting must end immediately. Mosques in the area also urged the gunmen to hold their fire.

Hours after fighting broke, al-Jazeera reported that order was restored in Beirut. Hezbollah's al-Manar television station belittled the incident, and called it "security disorder".

According to reports Hezbollah and al-Ahbash representatives met in the Lebanese military's headquarters in an attempt to quell the violence. It remained unclear what Hezbollah's Wafiq Safa and al-Ahbash's Badr at-Tabash decided on, but reports said one possibility was that the person behind the shooting at Hezbollah be handed over to the organization.

Contrary to earlier reports, operatives of the Shiite Amal organization were not involved in the fighting.

Hezbollah Spokesman Ibrahim Mousawi denied that his organization have al-Ahbash an ultimatum of three hours to return the bodies. Al-Manar was slow in reporting on the incident, and did not give full details of events.

Lebanon has a history of deadly sectarian strife, which has even escalated to civil war. The most recent clash in the city's northern neighborhood broke after Hezbollah was implicated in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The international tribunal probing the assassination said Hezbollah has yet to submit the evidence it says it has tying Israel to the act.

Last week Hezbollah handed Lebanese authorities its "evidence" implicating Israel in the killing, but according to the UN prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, Hezbollah only gave his office six DVDs that have already been made public, but did not hand over any of the additional evidence the organization said it had.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech two weeks ago that Israel was behind the assassination, and presented aerial photographs showing that Israel was tracking Hariri days prior to his death.


Ynet News

Sabra and Shatila

The Lebanese Christian Phalangist militia was responsible for the massacres that occurred at the two Beirut-area refugee camps on September 16-17, 1982. Israeli troops allowed the Phalangists to enter Sabra and Shatila to root out terrorist cells believed located there. It had been estimated that there may have been up to 200 armed men in the camps working out of the countless bunkers built by the PLO over the years, and stocked with generous reserves of ammunition.

When Israeli soldiers ordered the Phalangists out, they found hundreds dead (estimates range from 460 according to the Lebanese police, to 700-800 calculated by Israeli intelligence). The dead, according to the Lebanese account, included 35 women and children. The rest were men: Palestinians, Lebanese, Pakistanis, Iranians, Syrians and Algerians. The killings came on top of an estimated 95,000 deaths that had occurred during the civil war in Lebanon from 1975-1982.

The killings were perpetrated to avenge the murders of Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel and 25 of his followers, killed in a bomb attack earlier that week.

Israel had allowed the Phalange to enter the camps as part of a plan to transfer authority to the Lebanese, and accepted responsibility for that decision. The Kahan Commission of Inquiry, formed by the Israeli government in response to public outrage and grief, found that Israel was indirectly responsible for not anticipating the possibility of Phalangist violence. Israel instituted the panel's recommendations, including the dismissal of Gen. Raful Eitan, the Army Chief of Staff. Defense Minister Ariel Sharon resigned.

The Kahan Commission, declared former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, was "a great tribute to Israeli democracy....There are very few governments in the world that one can imagine making such a public investigation of such a difficult and shameful episode."

Ironically, while 300,000 Israelis demonstrated in Israel to protest the killings, little or no reaction occurred in the Arab world. Outside the Middle East, a major international outcry against Israel erupted over the massacres. The Phalangists, who perpetrated the crime, were spared the brunt of the condemnations for it.

By contrast, few voices were raised in May 1985, when Muslim militiamen attacked the Shatila and Burj-el Barajneh Palestinian refugee camps. According to UN officials, 635 were killed and 2,500 wounded. During a two-year battle between the Syrian-backed Shiite Amal militia and the PLO, more than 2,000, including many civilians, were reportedly killed. No outcry was directed at the PLO or the Syrians and their allies over the slaughter.

International reaction was also muted in October 1990 when Syrian forces overran Christian-controlled areas of Lebanon. In the eight-hour clash, 700 Christians were killed-the worst single battle of Lebanon's Civil War.

Sabra and Shatila
Uploaded by Speedy4261. - News videos from around the world.