The Sabra and Shatila Massacre, 1982

The Sabra and Shatila Massacre was a violent invasion of refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon in 1982. It was the result of hostilities between several political and militant groups in the area. There were violent groups being forced out of Beirut and violent groups being ushered in. The Sabra and Shatila Massacre was a symptom of the lack of concern for human life that was rampant in the area at the time, and continues to this day. It has been 28 years since the Sabra and Shatila Massacre and the victims and their families have yet to see justice in any form. None of the men and groups allegedly responsible for the atrocity has been taken to trial.

Three key groups are in the background of the Sabra and Shatila Massacre. First, there is the Palestine Liberation Organization. They are a violent group, but they had been forced out of Beirut by the Israel Defense Force shortly before the massacre. They had nothing to do with the massacre, excepting the fact that those who perpetrated it claimed to be looking for members of this group in the refugee camps. Second, there is Israel Defense Force and the former Israeli Prime Minister of Defense Ariel Sharon. They were in control of the area around the refugee camps. Israel had recently taken control of Beirut. Third, there is the group that is most certainly the most responsible and positively directly responsible for the Sabra and Shatila Massacre-- the Lebanese Christian Phalangists. This group was both a militia and a political party. They were also enemies of the PLO and they had cooperated with Israel's invasion of Lebanon.

The Lebanese Christian Phalangists' leader was assassinated two days before the Sabra and Shatila Massacre. The assassin was a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, but the Lebanese Christian Phalangists decided to target Palestine Liberation Organization members. There were rumors that members of the PLO were hiding in the Sabra and Shatila camps with weapons. The Lebanese Christian Phalangists were in league with the IDF, so 150 of them were able to get past the military security surrounding the camps on September 16, 1982. In fact, they were escorted in by Israeli soldiers. The Prime Minister of Defense approved these actions, reportedly under the assumption that they were seeking PLO members and that would be the extent of it.

As soon as they entered the Sabra and Shatila camps, the massacre began. The intruders entered people's homes, grouped them together and killed them, using a number of methods. Most of the murdered people were men, but many women and children were killed too. A number of rapes allegedly occurred as well. It was utter brutality. During the night hours, the IDF members outside the walls of the refugee camps lit flares so that the perpetrators could see clearly. They may not have known what was happening, but they certainly helped, either way. It took nearly three days for the Sabra and Shatila Massacre to end. Israeli forces ordered the Lebanese Christian Phalangists out of the camps on September 18.

Lebanese Christian Phalangist Elie Hobeika ordered the massacre. He went on to lead a life in politics and violence. He was killed in an explosion in 2002, having never taken responsibility for what happened at Sabra and Shatila in 1982. Former Israel Defense Minister Ariel Sharon and Israel bore the brunt of the stigma involving the massacre. Sharon was forced to resign, though he maintains utter innocence to this day. Some believe he should be held legally responsible, even if all he did was allow the perpetrators of the massacre into the refugee camps. They think he should have known their intentions were hostile and vengeful. Both the Lebanese Christian Phalangists and Hobeika have ceased to exist. The delay of justice in the case of Sabra and Shatila has led to 150 men getting away with murder and rape.

Sources

What happened at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982?, retrieved 11/1/10, Palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_sabra_shatila.php

Flashback: Sabra and Shatila massacres, retrieved 11/1/10, bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1779713.stm