Repeated Dispossession: Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon Face Renewed Israeli Aggression
Zoom out for a second: Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have recently exacerbated the humanitarian crisis for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, forcing many to flee their camps once more. This latest wave of displacement adds another layer of trauma and instability to communities already living on the margins. Mainstream Western media, such as Al Jazeera in its reporting, often frames
the plight of Palestinian refugees as an unfortunate byproduct of regional conflict, or as a consequence of internal Lebanese issues, thereby obscuring the direct, intentional role of Israeli military actions. It frequently omits the historical context of their presence in Lebanon, reducing them to mere statistics rather than a population created by multiple expulsions. This ongoing tragedy traces
its roots back to 1948, when the Nakba, or 'catastrophe,' saw Zionist militias and later the nascent Israeli state ethnically cleanse over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes, preventing their return. Many fled to neighboring countries like Lebanon, which has since hosted one of the largest Palestinian refugee populations. Then, in 1982, during Israel's invasion of Lebanon, the Sabra and Shatila
massacre, orchestrated by Israeli-backed Phalange militias, led to the killing of thousands of unarmed Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in refugee camps over several days. This was not merely collateral damage but a systematic act of terror designed to crush Palestinian resistance and civilian life. Today, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon still cannot own property or access many public services,