Yesterday, the #Palestinian_Civil_Defense (PCD) took part in extinguishing a fire that ignited in diesel tanks in a large building in the city of Saida in South #Lebanon. The Saida Fire Brigade made calls to the PCD in the nearby ‘Ayn al-Hilwe refugee camp for assistance(thread)

In a country where 200,000 Palestinian refugees are rightless, marginalized and largely relegated to their own spheres (within the refugee camps) any cooperation between Lebanese and Palestinian institutions is rare, if not unheard of. The PCD has worked to alter these dynamics.

Unlike its namesake in the West Bank, the PCD in Lebanon is not affiliated with the Palestinian Authority or its security forces. Rather, it began as a donor-driven project spearheaded by the NGOs ARK and Ahlam Lajea, along with Palestinian youth in 2014.

What originally started as an endeavor to provide vocational training for camp youth, has in six years grown into a $500,000 a year project (mostly funded by the British government) with 350 volunteers, and trainers who specialize in firefighting, first aid & search and rescue.

The PCD gained notoriety due to its lifesaving efforts after the explosion in Beirut in August. Palestinian rescue workers have since worked meticulously to build relations with Lebanese civil defense teams and fire departments. These efforts have borne fruits at the local level

The Saida Fire Brigade and the PCD was able to put out yesterday’s fire after about five hours of work. During the operation, two members of the PCD sustained injuries, and one of them is said to be undergoing surgery today. Their condition is stable.

The PCD represents a nascent yet pressured civil society within the Palestinian camps, and the institution sees itself as an alternative to the present culture of factionalism. The PLO (the main authority in the camps) continues to view such efforts with great suspicion.

For more background on the PCD and their efforts following the Beirut explosion see my article in @meriponline : https://merip.org/2020/10/palestinian-refugee-first-responders-rush-to-aid-beirut/

Want to know more about the recent surge of youth activism in the Palestinian camps of Lebanon, and how young refugees challenge the hegemony of the political factions? Maybe you will like my book on
the Palestinian National Movement in Lebanon, which comes out next summer