Ghajar
Photo: Hanan Greenberg
Ghajar residents seek Livni's support
Leaders of border village continue their efforts to prevent division of village and turning over of northern part to UNIFIL's hands
Residents of the border village of Ghajar met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Sunday in the framework of their campaign against the government's intention to transfer the northern section of the village to UNIFIL's hands.
About two thirds of the village's 2,100 residents live in the northern part of the village, which is located on Lebanese territory and is separated from the southern part by an IDF outpost. However, all of Ghajar's residents are considered Israeli citizens.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 stipulates that Israel must withdraw all its forces from Lebanon and redeploy along the international line.
As a result of the anticipated division of the village, entire families will be forced to endure scrupulous security checks on their way to school, the council's offices and the grocery store each day.
Head of the Ghajar local council Ahmed Fatli, his deputy Ahmed Khatib and the council's secretary Najib Khatib met with Livni and conveyed to her the residents' outrage over the decision which they claim will render them refugees in Lebanon.
They stated that the village considers itself a part of the Golan Heights, and expressed hope that in the future, the village will be handed over to Syria as part of an agreement between the two states.
'No satisfactory answers'
According to Najib Khatib, the village representatives explained to Livni that the fate of northern Ghajar and of the Golan Heights were inseparable."We have land agreements and building permits signed by the Kuneitra branch of the Syrian Interior Ministry from 1958. It is inconceivable that we, as citizens of the State of Israel, wake up one day and find ourselves refugees in Lebanon without having had our claims thoroughly examined," Khatib added.
Livni stressed to the representatives that the government's decision stands.
"Unfortunately we did not receive satisfactory answers to our claims," Najib stated.
The foreign minister's office issued a statement after the meeting in Ghajar, saying: "Minister Livni stressed during the meeting that a solution to the problem of the village must be found, and presented to the participants the government decision on the matter. The government decided to task several government ministries with handling the Ghajar issue, and they have already started working n it."
