Firefighter Mohammad al-Habbet in Lebanon
Israel’s brutal annihilation of Lebanese first responders continues with more killed and injured each day of this war.
Two young medics were heading to an emergency in Nabatieh on Tuesday on a clearly marked motorbike with flashing lights. They were stalked by an Israeli drone.
Ali Jaber and Jud Suleiman were killed in the missile strike. Their supervisor, Hassan Jaber, was informed that they’d been attacked and rushed to the scene—only to discover that his own son was one of the dead.
A French camera crew captured the heartbreaking scene of him receiving the news, which is now being beamed across the world.
Among the refugee tents on a south Beirut roundabout, sat a fleet of ambulances and a marquee that was a temporary home for emergency staff.
The Jamiyat al-Rissala al-Islamiya group is staffed by volunteers and engages in emergency care and civil defense. It is affiliated to the Amal political party. They had to vacate their accommodation in the southern suburb of Dahieh after threats from the Israelis.
Among them was Abass al-Dhainy, a student studying film-making and also in his third year as a volunteer medic. He told me, “Paramedics and first responders are protected by international law according to the Geneva Convention agreements.
“But, unfortunately, in many parts of the world this is not the case. In this latest war of aggression by the Israelis, 49 of our first responders have been killed across Lebanon. They belonged to all paramedic organisation, including the Red Cross, al-Rissalla, SPL, civil defense and all the other groups and committees.
“These attacks could never be justified by any means and under any pretext and they only cause horror and existential fear for ordinary citizens.
“Despite all this happening—and no matter how the Israeli horror increases—we will never leave our posts and duties towards the community. We are standing strong for our homeland in all the squares and streets across the country. For the help of all our people under attack.”
Abass was disgusted when I told him about the fire-bombing of ambulances in Golders Green, north London. “Paramedic work covers the needs of all human beings of all colours, ethnicities and faiths,” he said.
“We absolutely condemn and will never tolerate this kind of vandalism in any place of the world.
“We condemn it as much as our persecution by the Israeli enemy that is constantly terrorising us and our colleagues. Our religious teaching and ethics would never tolerate such actions.”
His words echoed those of Hassan Dirany, who I had met in the Bekaa Valley the day before. He had recently retired as an administrator of the Le Secours Populaire Libanais (SPL). It’s a secular medical and defense organisation affiliated with the Lebanese Communist Party and others.
Hassan had been directly responsible for the deployment of emergency units across the volatile Bekaa Valley for several decades.
“As an atheist who is part of a secular organisation, I always see things from a non-sectarian point of view,” he said.
“Accordingly, I believe that the group or whoever is responsible for the torching of the Jewish organisation ambulances is to be condemned for this shameful action. Antisemitism is as abhorrent as all other forms of racism.”
Hassan added, “I would like to take this chance to send our biggest salutes to all the comrades and brothers and sisters who went out on the streets of Britain to demonstrate for the Palestinian cause and the Lebanese cause.”
The sprawling Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp sits in Dahieh, on the doorstep of some of the heaviest bombing in the capital. It is home to over 50,00 Palestinians and was first established in 1948 following the Nakba. It was once home to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
In the centre of its winding, narrow streets sits the headquarters of the local Palestinian Civil Defence.
Mohamad el-Habet is the head of operations at the centre, which provides fire and rescue services to the camp and further afield.
He explained that during times of crisis, such as the present war, various emergency plans are put into operation for the four sectors of the camp and elsewhere if needed. They had been deployed to the devastating port explosion that tore through Beirut in 2020.
Mohamad said, “As Palestinian Civil Defence members, we condemn all violent targeting of any humanitarian activity and infrastructure.
“In our humanitarian work, we do not discriminate between race, colour, religion or gender or any other criteria.
“We would like to send a message to the world to protect and never target paramedics and first responders or their equipment.”
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