Fatah gives deadline for handover of general's killers amid fragile truce in Lebanon refugee camp

(18 Sep 2023)
LEBANON PALESTINIANS REACTION

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

LENGTH: 3:07

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Beirut, Lebanon - 17 September 2023

1. Top official with the Palestinian Fatah group Azzam al-Ahmad walking in, shaking hands with AP journalist
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah official:
"I hope that it (the ceasefire) will stand and continue, and that the rest of the points will be implemented, and that clashes will not return again. At The end of the second round of clashes, Osbat Al Ansar (Ansar League) had played a key role. We reached an agreement with them yesterday and they told us literally: 'We are part of the (Palestinian) Liberation Organization (PLO), and we are allies of the Fatah movement.'"
3. Palestinian flag
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah official:
"We continue holding these calls. And in the meeting at the Grand Serail (prime minister's office), we agreed in principle with government officials, security, and the army that we will close this case at a date no later than the end of the month, so that life in the camp can return to normal."
5. Photographer
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah official:
"I'm optimistic about reaching a solution, and that will only be complete when the accused killers turn themselves in or through mediators from the Lebanese state."
7. Cutaway of hands
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah official:
"All the possibilities are open. There is no going back on accomplishing this (the handover of the killers) while they are trapped and cannot escape, neither inside the camp nor outside it. We are on the lookout and the Lebanese army also is on the lookout for them."
9. Cutaway of al-Ahmad's eyes
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah official:
"There is a dispute between us and Hamas. There are some parties that accuse Hamas of being a partner. I say clearly and unequivocally that in some areas of the fighting, Hamas participated in the fighting against us."

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sidon, Lebanon - 12 September 2023
10. Various of Lebanese army checkpoint at the entrance of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh
11. Various of buildings at camp
STORYLINE:
A top official with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah group said Sunday that Palestinian and Lebanese officials have given militant Islamist groups in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp until the end of the month to hand over the accused killers of a Fatah general.

A fragile calm has largely prevailed in the Ein el-Hilweh camp since Thursday night after the warring sides reached the latest in a series of cease-fire agreements.

It followed a week of intense fighting that killed at least 18 people and wounded and displaced hundreds.

Top officials from rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas had traveled to Lebanon in an attempt to negotiate an end to the clashes.

Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah’s central committee and of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday that he is "optimistic about reaching a solution."

But, he added, if the accused are not handed over by the end of the month, "all possibilities are open."

Al-Ahmad said Fatah is not opposed to the Lebanese army entering the camp to conduct an operation against the Islamist groups should they not turn over the men accused of killing Fatah military general Mohammad "Abu Ashraf" al-Armoushi.

By tradition, Lebanese soldiers do not enter the Palestinian camps, which are controlled by a network of Palestinian factions.
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