Shock in Ghajar: Israelis turned into refugees in Lebanon

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The village of Ghajar on the northern border has been subject to a feeling of uncertainty for almost seven years now. Since the Israel Defense Forces' withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000, military forces have been stationed at the entrance to the village and are checking every vehicle entering or leaving.

About 2,100 residents live in Ghajar, some 1,550 of them in the northern part, the latter were surprised to hear in the media about the government's decision that they will be supervised by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and that IDF soldiers will be stationed on the 'Blue Line.'

The village's secretary, Najib Hatib, was furious: "We have been living without a mother or father for almost seven years. Who will take care of brining food to the babies? Who will take care of repairing electricity and phone problems? Perhaps the UN, perhaps the Lebanese army?"

Ghajar residents engage in industry and agriculture in the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights communities. They are seeking to correct the historical mistake, and stress that their village was occupied by the IDF in 1967 along with the Golan Heights territories, and therefore they in fact belong to Syria , rather than to Lebanon. They believe that any negotiations with Beirut on their future are wrong.

YNet

Some background:

The National Security Cabinet has decided to adopt the proposal calling for Israel to withdraw from the northern part of the Lebanese border village of Ghajar and to hand over responsibility there to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

Israel occupied the Lebanese part of the village, which straddles along the border, to prevent arms smuggling and infiltrations.

Ghajar's residents hold Israeli ID cards, this despite the fact the northern half of the village is on proper Lebanese territory. Over the years residents of the Lebanese side have connected to Israeli infrastructure and state services and have conveyed their desire to remain Israeli citizens. The unique situation of Ghajar has prevented Israel and Lebanon from reaching an agreement on the matter which would have split the village in two.