Second only to Israel, no nation has mistreated the Palestinians worst than Lebanon. Although Palestinians refugees live in squalor in all Arab nations (and the Occupied Territories), a disgracefully indictment of Arab regimes and people; the 215,000-odd refugees in Lebanon have suffered the most and if any Palestinian refugees are allowed to return to their homes in Palestine48 or “Israel” it is widely expected that accommodations will be made for those in Lebanon since they have had it the worst.

Since the first refugees resettled in Lebanon in 1948 - after the Israeli ethnic cleansing of 800,000 Palestinians in the “Nakba” - they have been most grossly abused by the Lebanese state. Palestinians in Lebanon are barred from a myriad of White-Collar jobs, and given the delicate balance between Lebanon’s constantly feuding factions any effort to normalize the Palestinian entity (almost all Sunni) has been opposed by Christians and Shiites. Rafiq Hariri, the late Sunni prime minister, offered to normalize Palestinians (citizenship, right to vote, ect...) but found one of his strongest opponents to be the Shiite party-cum-militia Hezbollah. Apparently, Hezbollah is willingly to send off its militia men to die on behalf of Palestinians in occupied Palestinians but giving Palestinian refugees the right to vote in Lebanon is simply to much. Hezbollah is motivated by nothing more than pure sectarian calculation fearing a weakening of Shiite influence vis-a-vis Sunnis if Palestinians can be politically involved.

The refugee camps in Lebanon are among the worst in the entire Arab world. The poverty and sense of hopelessness is heartbreaking, all the while Lebanese live their lives and brag (with delusion) that Beirut is the “Paris of the Middle East.” I’ve been to Paris, the city is not surrounded by tens of thousands neglected refugees. It is indecent how Palestinians are treated.

The refugees have suffered the most under the right-wing Christian militias, whom sparked the 1975-1990 Civil War after ambushing and massacring a bus full of Palestinians. The fascist Phalange party - founded by Pierre Gemayele - destroyed several refugee camps and infamously massacred hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatile camp (with Israeli training, arms and assistance). The Shiites also killed many refugees during the Civil War in the War of the Camps, led then by Amal (another Shiite bloc).

The Civil War is over now, and the Palestinians are still neglected. New generations born as refugees with little hope of opportunity. And the Lebanese are still not done killing refugees and destroying Palestinians camps. In 2007, the Nahr al-Barid camp in northern Lebanon was destroyed by the Lebanese army (which only shows “courage” against defenseless Palestinians and never against Israel while the latter bombs the nation and continues to violate its sovereignty). Made refugees for the second time, the residents of the camp are still awaiting their return to Nahr. Every single Lebanese faction supported the cruel and shameful operation.

Needless to say, there is no champion of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Besides a few honorable Lebanese, most are indifferent akin to the political establishment and most of the media.

Indifference is one thing, but feigning concern when one doesn’t care (or is hostile) is grotesque. For some reason, the same right-wing Christians long opposed to Palestinians are now pretending to be concerned with them.
Amin Gemeyale, brother of Bashir Gemayale who launched attacks against Palestinians, recently claimed (lied) on Arab television that his family has always cared for Palestinians and even worked on their behalf with the Red Cross. There is no evidence of this. The Gemayele is fascistic and has long hated and killed Palestinians.

Samir Ga’ Ga’, head of the fascistic and right-wing Christian Lebanese Forces, also recently spoke about his “love” for Palestine.

Nabil Barri, the Shiite speaker of parliament, also stated recently that Palestinians refugees are safe under his watch. His watch? He was in Amal during the War of the Camps and remains so today.

The Lebanese president, as I recently reported but forgot to make this point then, recently expressed support for the Palestinians in front of the UN. He was referring to those under Israeli occupation. What about those in Lebanon?

All these words are either lies for some cynical motive or hollow unless the immoral condition of Palestinians changes in Lebanon.