Heavy fighting raged here in the Nabaa district. June 29, 1976 saw the fall of the camp at Jisr El Basha. This freed up troops to be directed against Tal al-Zaatar. The victory at Jisr El Basha established Lebanese Front policy for future campaigns.
I want to tell you the story of Jisr El Basha. It is a story of conflict and displacement. This place was once a Palestinian camp. It became a focal point in the Lebanese Civil War.
In early January 1976, the warring parties resorted to a new form of violence. Christian militias began a siege. They targeted the Palestinian camps of Tel al-Zaatar and Jisr El Basha. They also targeted the shantytowns of Maslakh and Karantina. Nabaa and the Palestinian camp of Dbayeh were also targeted. All these places were located on the eastern side of Beirut. This became a full-blown confrontation. It turned into a civilian massacre. The massacre ended in August of that year.
The siege involved blocking access to essential supplies. Medical supplies were blocked. Water and electricity were also cut off. Mainly Palestinian refugees lived in the camps. Some Lebanese, Syrians, and Egyptians were also there. The main power cable supplying Beirut was located near Tel al-Zaatar. It was hit on June 23. This deprived all of Beirut of power for over four months.
Christian militias launched an attack. The attack targeted the Palestinian camps of Jisr El Basha and Tel al-Zaatar. The PNL led the attack. Other Christian militias and splinter groups of the Lebanese Army supported them. The Kataeb joined after June 27. For 53 days, the militias launched more than 70 attacks. They used 155-millimeter mortar shells. Sometimes they launched three bombs per minute. They also used a few dozen armored tanks. Jisr El Basha fell on June 29, 1976. Tel al-Zaatar fell on August 12, 1976.
After the fall of Jisr El Basha, arrangements were made. The arrangements were to evacuate all troops and civilians. The International Red Cross was used as a neutral observer. This was to prevent outrages from occurring.
Under Syrian protection, the Red Cross quickly moved into the Jisr El Basha camp. They removed the remaining civilian refugees and prisoners.
The story of Jisr El Basha is a tragic one. It shows the devastating impact of conflict on civilian populations. It serves as a reminder of the importance of peace and reconciliation.