Ain al-Hilweh's new camps: A controversial shelter solution

Some may argue that setting up tents is a spontaneous act of innocence, providing shelter for those escaping the perils of the Ain al-Hilweh camp. 

However, there is no doubt that the repercussions of this move are laden with danger.

Perhaps the most precarious aspect is the choice of location— at the northern entrance of Sidon, next to the municipal stadium.

This decision was made in more detail after a meeting between the Sidon Municipality, UNRWA, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Without delay, the tents and equipment were brought in, and 35 tents were erected on the municipal land, accommodating approximately 80 tents in total.

This decision has sparked anger among the city's residents, its activists, as well as Palestinian factions in the Ain al-Hilweh camp.

To add to the turmoil, General Abbas Ibrahim commented on the camp's establishment: "The same scene, but with a 75-year difference. The only thing that changed was the tools: the first was Israeli, and the second was Palestinian. This time, the victim is the oppressor, and the oppressor is the victim. The refuge tents for the displaced from Ain al-Hilweh are the first step towards erasing the right of return."

In less than an hour, following a series of communications between those involved, political parties, and Palestinian factions, the Prime Minister took action and requested the Interior Minister to remove these tents. It was agreed that efforts would continue to coordinate with UNRWA to provide shelter for those fleeing in schools and safe centers.

The tents were removed, along with suspicious attempts to incite new strife that one may know where it starts but not where it ends.