Palestine archbishop: Events in Lebanon camp are ‘shameful’

Archbishop Atallah Hanna, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia, has slammed events in the Ain Al-Hilweh camp in Lebanon as “shameful.”

“The use of weapons in the camps between brothers is a very serious issue,” he said in reference to fatal shootings that recently took place in the camp.

He expressed hope that steps being taken to end this “strife” and “thwart the satanic scheme that aims to harm our camp” and undermine the Palestinians’ right of return are successful.

“What happened in Ain Al-Hilwah is an insult to our people … and an attempt to distort and undermine the justice of our cause,” he said.

“We hope that these events will be dealt with in a spirit of wisdom and responsibility, and that this internal strife will end” in order for all Palestinians to unite in defence of their just cause and their legitimate right to return to the stolen homeland, Hanna added.

Clashes erupted over the weekend between different Palestinian factions in the camp. Eleven people were killed as a result, while thousands have been forced to flee into neighbouring Sidon in southern Lebanon to avoid the gunfire.

READ: Who ignited Ain Al-Hilweh and why?