In an act imbued with symbolism, Israel shot dead 11 unarmed protesters, most of them Palestinian refugees, this week when they gathered at the southern border of Lebanon to commemorate the Nakba of 1948, reports Lucy Fielder from Beirut The unprecedented "March on Palestine" on Sunday also took place on Israel's borders with the Syrian Golan, Jordan and Egypt and highlighted Israel's refusal that millions of Palestinian refugees return to their homes and lands in historic Palestine. Spurred by the Arab revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and the wave of uprisings across the region, the protest was also unusually broad and organised by independents as well as the main Palestinian factions. "It was very symbolic that Israel shot Palestinian refugees as they marched towards their place of origin, claiming their right to return," said Sari Hanafi, professor of sociology at the American University in Beirut and the author of a number of books on Palestinian refugees. Lebanon's Palestinian refugees are estimated to number about 270,000, most of who live in squalid camps with few civil rights. Tens of thousands of protesters were bussed to the border in coordination with the Lebanese authorities and the Shia militant and political movement Hizbullah, which controls security in much of the south. After they reached Maroun Al-Ras, a southeast border village that was briefly occupied by Israeli soldiers in the July war of 2006, the crowds headed towards the electrified fence. About 2,000 protesters reached the barrier before the Lebanese army formed a human chain to keep the rest back, witnesses said. Israeli soldiers were partly hidden in the trees on the other side of the demarcation line. "People were chanting and throwing stones, and every once in a while the Israelis would shoot just three to five shots," said Beirut-based journalist Moe Ali Nayel. "It wasn't random fire, it seemed to me that they were shooting to kill." Lebanese soldiers fired in the air for around half an hour to disperse the protesters, as bodies and many of the 100 or so wounded were carried up the hill on stretchers. "Nobody crossed the fence, there was no threat, but the Israelis were bothered by this peaceful mobilisation," Hanafi said. "It didn't surprise me; we've seen how the Israelis deal with Palestinians generally, and these were Palestinians hosted by an enemy country." The UN special coordinator for Lebanon condemned Israel's use of "disproportionate, deadly force". Washington regreted the loss of life, but said Israel had the right to protect its borders. Hanafi put the number of demonstrators at about 40,000. The protest was unusual, he said, in that the idea was conceived by independent activists who mobilised with the help of social media such as Facebook and then formed a committee with Hamas, Fatah and the other Palestinian factions. "I think the Arab uprisings sent a message to everyone that non-violent actions can achieve impressive results," he said. Iranian-backed Hizbullah facilitated the protest, but stopped short of calling on its legions of supporters to attend. Lebanese attendee numbers were limited because it would have been even harder to guarantee the safety of vast crowds on the border. Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah praised the courage of the protesters. "You have proven to both friend and foe that commitment to your rights is non-negotiable, won't be forgotten and won't be wasted, and that your return to your homes, your land and holy places are your right and goal," he said in a statement. Israel has alleged Syrian involvement in the protests, something Hanafi denied. "This has been in the works for some time. The kick-off was before the unrest began in Syria. I think it was really genuine." UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force on the border, has opened an investigation into the incident. It has also stepped up patrols for fear of small Palestinian or Islamist groups firing rockets across the border to avenge Sunday's killings, the bloodiest incident on the border since 2006. It is seen as unlikely that Hizbullah, which maintains a vast rocket arsenal in the south, is willing to draw Israel's retaliation by launching an attack. Sherif Bibi, one of the organisers, said the Palestinian movement in Lebanon had been galvanised by Sunday's protest. "The demonstration has put more focus on the right of return and gave the Palestinians the chance to express themselves directly, right on the border," he said. Meetings continued and more events would soon be organised, he added. "We're not stopping. Things won't be the same after 15 May." Hanafi said organisers must harness the momentum created by Sunday's events to push for more civil rights in Lebanon, as well as the right of return. Many Lebanese fear that granting the Palestinians more rights is a step towards naturalisation, which remains controversial because of Lebanon's delicate sectarian balance. "There's a sort of schizophrenic attitude in Lebanon towards the issue -- Palestinians can have either the right of return or civil rights, but not both," Hanafi said. A law issued late last year broadened the number of jobs Palestinians could seek or accept, but rights campaigners said it was weak and has not been realised on the ground.
