Brigadier General Sobhi Abu Arab, the chief of Fatah’s military forces in Lebanon, told NOW Lebanon on Wednesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas concluded the new appointments for Lebanon’s Fatah military officials.

Abu Arab said he will remain in office. Mounir al-Maqdah, however, the leader of the Palestinian faction Kifah al-Musallah in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, was ordered to step down due to the February clashes that took place in the camp between members of Fatah and other Islamic factions.

Abu Arab said that the Palestinian Embassy in Lebanon informed the Lebanese authorities of the new appointments, which include:

- Fatah Movement official Sultan Abu al-Ayanayn as Abbas’ consultant and as the Chief of Foreign Affairs for Palestinian refugees

- Brigadier General Ahmad Saleh, replacing Maqdah as the leader of Kifah al-Musallah

- Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Obeid as the deputy leader of Kifah al-Musallah

- Brigadier General Sobhi Abu Arab as the military responsible for Fatah and the facilitator of Palestinian national security in Lebanon

- Brigadier General Mohsen al-Hallak as Abu Arab’s deputy

- Brigadier General Mahmoud Issa as the military responsible for Saida and the Ain al-Hilweh camp,

- Brigadier General Fadel Mustafa as the military responsible for Tyr

- Brigadier General Abu Iyad Chaalan as the military responsible for Beirut

- Lieutenant Colonel Fakhry Tirawiyya as the military leader for North Lebanon

The political leaders of the Fatah Revolutionary Council were also appointed, including Brigadier General Khaled Aref, Amnah Gebril and Jamal Kachmar.

Abu Arab said that the new command will meet on Wednesday evening to set a work plan that touches on:

- Discussing Fatah’s structure

- Establishing the officials’ responsibilities

- Organizing the use of arms inside the refugee camps

- Resorting to rational behavior before the use of arms

- Enhancing relations with the Lebanese security forces

- Ensuring that arms in the camps are used only to safeguard security

- Providing Palestinians inside the camps with the needed care and services of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

-NOW Lebanon