Abbas tells Mikati Fatah committed to Ain el-Helweh truce

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sent caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati a message saying that the Fatah Movement is “committed to the ceasefire in Ain el-Helweh,” informed sources said.

The message was relayed by Palestinian Authority envoy Azzam al-Ahmad, who met with Mikati on Sunday, the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Abbas also said that Fatah is committed to the ceasefire’s terms as to the withdrawal of gunmen from the streets and the handover of wanted individuals.

“Fatah and the Palestine Liberation Organization are committed to cooperation with the (Lebanese) state’s institutions and coordination with (Lebanese) security agencies and army,” the sources quoted Abbas as saying.

“Al-Ahmad complained that Palestinian General Intelligence Service Director Majed Faraj has been held responsible for what happened in the camp, noting that his visit (to the camp a week before the clashes) had been misinterpreted,” the sources added.

“The Palestinian delegation meanwhile heard a demonstration of the threats that the country is going through, the last of which was the calls by a number of embassies for their citizens to leave Lebanon,” the sources said.

Mikati demanded that the situation in camps be brought under control “because the country can no longer bear” further deterioration, the sources added.

“It was agreed to task the head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee Bassel al-Hassan with following up with the army and General Security on the file of handing over those wanted over the latest and previous clashes,” the sources said.

Moreover, Mikati asked al-Ahmad whether Fatah was ready to “hand over Mohammed Zubeidat, who is accused of opening fire on the Islamists and triggering the latest clashes,” the sources added.

“PLO and Fatah secretary Fathi Abou al-Ardat stressed that Fatah was ready to do so,” the sources went on to say.