The government has filed an official complaint with Germany for hosting former “Israeli”-proxy militiamen and their families who fled Lebanon during the “Israeli” withdrawal from the South.
According to a diplomatic source, after being tipped about their arrival by the Lebanese Embassy in Berlin, officials in Beirut filed the complaint.
“When Beirut informed Berlin that the people it took in were Lebanese and not “Israeli”, German officials said that they could stay in Germany for a year and that it did not consider them political refugees,” the source said.
But the source added that this period could well be extended, and noted that “Israel” was paying the expenses of the militiamen.
The source claimed that Germany’s decision to host the men was a departure from Berlin’s earlier statements that it would deport collaborators who found their way into the country.
Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany, Melhem Misto, asked the German government to avoid splitting up families if it decided to deport the collaborators.
Meanwhile at the Military Tribunal, the trial of 120 alleged collaborators ­ the twelfth batch of suspects to appear before the court so far ­ opened on Monday.
The court, presided over by Brigadier Maher Safieddine, listened to the closing arguments of military prosecutors and defense lawyers in the afternoon.

The Daily Star, 4-7-2000.