Ordeal of Palestinian refugees in Syria

One might wonder how several Palestinian refugee camps in Syria came under the control of foreign Al-Qaeda terrorists without much resistance.  Many of these camps are presently under complete Al-Qaeda dominance imposing its extremist beliefs on a Palestinian community, majority of whom have always been viewed as a progressive lot.

Al Qaeda terrorists loaded with American, Israeli and European weapons are infiltrating into Syria at an accelerating pace.  They are using the Palestinian refugee camps as their bases against the Syrian Army and Hezbollah.  Most of these refugees camps within Syria were established in 1948 until the late 1950s after the Nakba catastrophe when Palestine was divided and more than 3 million of its indigenous people were expelled from their motherland.  At least two refugee camps were also set up in 1967 after the internationally condemned Zionist-colonial aggression and occupation of West Bank, Gaza strip and Golan Heights of Syria.

Planned takeover of Palestinian refugee camps in Syria is one of the vital strategies of the foreign invading terrorists in the Syrian war.  They gradually step into the refugee camps in small numbers, not as gunmen but as civilians with plenty of efforts to win over the confidence of Palestinian refugees through polite and gentle talk. When that is achieved, larger numbers of heavily armed terrorists arrive, giving the people an ultimatum either they support the government and face the bullets of Jabhat al-Nusra and Ansar al-Khalifa Brigade OR support the invaders.

Quoting two Palestinian residents of Yarmouk refugee camp, a lady and her sister, on how the so-called jihadists sneak into the camps and gain control: "First the intruders appeared only a few in number. We noticed them, many had foreign accents and wore conservative clothes, most had beards. They were polite and friendly. Then few more arrived.  They stayed to themselves at first and began using the local mosque.  Then some of them began to preach their ideas of religion.  Soon these men were commenting on how some of the Palestinian women dressed in an 'un-Islamic' fashion and even lectured young women."  

The lady's sister commented:  "Then guns appeared and some of the men appeared to be very skilled when they would use, for example, a school or playground to train. They were so serious and seemed to be in a trance of some kind. There was no possibility to talk or reason with them .. some actually believed that Syria was Palestine and they were here to liberate Al Quds!"

What is happening in the Palestinian refugee camps in Syria is very similar to the incident of 2007 at Nahr al-Barad refugee camp in Lebanon which consisted of more than 30,000 Palestinians.  Nahr al-Barad was also forcibly taken over as a base by an Al-Qaeda inspired group called "Fateh al-Islam" that fought a pitched battle against the Lebanese army.  Many refugees were killed and injured and thousands fled.  The hostage taking of Palestinian camps in Syria bears an uncanny similarity to the events of Nahr al-Barad.  

There is little doubt about the fact that Palestinian organizations such as Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who support the rebellion against President Assad, have been flatly against the liberation of Palestinian refugee camps from rebel control. Ahmed Jibril, the head of PFLP, has particularly been loud in protesting against all plans to liberate Yarmouk refugee camp, the largest in Syria . But majority of Palestinian refugees based in Syria do not agree with PFLP nor Hamas.  Being literally held as hostages by Al-Qaeda, their only choice at present to save their lives is neutrality, until the towns or provinces where these camps are located are re-taken by the Syrian Army. 

 

A Palestinian boy targeted in a militant attack by Al-Nusra in the Damascus-based Yarmouk refugee camp.   Yarmouk refugee camp for uprooted Palestinians is the largest in Syria set up in 1957, just a few miles from Damascus.  
 
Palestinian refugees have been living happily in all camps throughout Syria since decades.  Unfortunately they are now being hijacked and used as human shields by Al-Qaeda's US paid mercenaries.