Eleven Lebanese return from “Israel”

“ Eleven Lebanese who fled to “Israel” during “Israeli”'s troop pullout from southern Lebanon in May returned Wednesday and surrendered to Lebanese authorities, police said.

Khalil Elias Hashem, his wife, two young children, his father and mother as well as Michael Assaad Hajj, his wife, their son, daughter-in-law and a grandchild crossed back from this coastal border post, they said.

The two families, carrying their personal belongings, were driven by two vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) to posts of the Lebanese General Security and Internal Security Forces.

Some 6,000 Lebanese and former members of the now defunct militia fled to “Israel” during the Jewish state's May 24 pullout from south Lebanon.

Lebanese military courts have so far issued sentences against 900 people among than 2,200 Lebanese suspected of having collaborated with “Israel”.

Hajj told AFP that most of the Lebanese who fled to “Israel” wanted to return home, adding that some 150 people were planning to cross into Lebanon on Sunday.

"Every day there are street protests in the 25 places where the Lebanese were housed in “Israel”. They want permission to return. It took 15 days for the “Israelis” to allow us to return," said Hajj.

"The Lebanese there even fight with “Israeli” soldiers. They throw stones at them, they insult them and accuse the “Israelis” of letting them down after years of cooperation," he said.

AFP, 26-7-2000.