Lebanon's security concerns: Ain Al-Hilweh and foreign embassies' warning

Recently, there have been notable security developments, especially in the violent events in Ain Al-Hilweh refugee camp, despite reaching an agreement for a ceasefire.

This agreement remains fragile as the consequences of the conflict have not entirely subsided yet.

This article was originally published in and translated from the online Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa.

However, what caught attention was the announcement by some foreign embassies in Lebanon, advising their citizens to stay away from areas experiencing security tensions and urging them to leave the country.

These developments raised more questions about the reasons that led to the deterioration of the security situation in Ain Al-Hilweh and the potential risks of its escalation and spread to other refugee camps in Lebanon.

On the third anniversary of the catastrophic explosion that devastated Beirut, the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party and Member of Parliament, Taymour Jumblatt, expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, the wounded, and the affected.

He also called for forming an international investigation committee to determine the circumstances of the blast and identify the party responsible for importing the ammonium nitrate into the port and benefiting from removing a portion of it.

However, regarding Ain Al-Hilweh events, Palestinian leadership sources confirmed to Al-Anbaa that the situation in this camp is entirely different from other Palestinian refugee camps.

The same sources ruled out the possibility of military confrontations spreading to other refugee camps in Lebanon, saying that they enjoy security and tranquility and have no connection whatsoever to what is happening in Ain Al-Hilweh.

Furthermore, the sources mentioned that other camps are well-controlled and described what happened in Ain Al-Hilweh as a conspiracy against the camp and its peaceful residents. They accused known external entities of plotting against the camp and its inhabitants and distorting the image of those residing in it.

In the same context, Lebanese security sources downplayed the danger of the clashes in Ain Al-Hilweh spreading to other areas. They described the circulating talks in some media about the discovery of a conspiracy to carry out assassinations targeting Lebanese and Arab political leaders as mere fear-mongering.

The sources refuted any connection to the Saudi warning to Saudi citizens, advising them to be cautious and avoid areas of tension to ensure their safety.

They considered this a natural matter in such circumstances, asserting that Saudi Arabia or any other concerned country has the right to be cautious about the safety of its citizens. They also called for refraining from exaggeration. 

In response to the situation, Tajdod bloc MP Adib Abd Al-Massih questioned the entity that seeks to sabotage the tourism season in Lebanon, which was starting to witness some slight improvement due to the influx of expatriates from various countries to spend their summer vacation.

Moreover, the deputy explained to Al-Anbaa that the Saudi warning to its citizens is normal but that the suspicious events in Ain Al-Hilweh are alarming.

He then accused certain parties of intending to push Lebanon backward and keep it on the list of dangerous countries from a security perspective. He also pointed out that the blame does not fall on Saudi Arabia, as it wants to protect its citizens, but on the Lebanese state for failing to control the spread of weapons, which led Lebanon to be listed as a security-challenged country.

In response to the Caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam's statement regarding Kuwait and the ongoing debate, Abd Al-Massih believed what happened with Salam was an unintended mistake and did not intend to insult Kuwait.

Additionally, he emphasized that, as Lebanese, they apologize to the Kuwaiti people for what happened. In his opinion, Kuwait is a country of institutions with its respected and leading role on both the Arab and international levels and its decisions cannot be taken lightly, as some have suggested.

He called on Salam to clarify his intentions behind his words to Kuwait and the Lebanese and Kuwaiti public, mainly because Kuwait is a sisterly and friendly country, and Lebanese-Kuwaiti relations should not be jeopardized.

In the same context, MP Hadi Abu Al-Hassan expressed appreciation and thanks to Kuwait and the Kuwaiti brothers for their constant support to Lebanon.

However, Arab allies have consistently saved Lebanon from complete collapse, especially amid the crises the country is going through and the negative repercussions generated by the continuing vacancy in the presidency and the governance of the Central Bank of Lebanon.