The Economist: Syria Is Erasing the Palestinians’ Largest Refugee Camp

Recent bombing by Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and its Russian allies devastated Yarmouk camp, located on the southern edge of Damascus. The camp was once the Palestinians’ “largest and liveliest refugee camp, sheltering displaced Iraqis and Syrians too.” However, war, attacks by extremists and bombing have resulted in the violent displacement of 350,000 people who once called Yarmouk home. Now, just “a few hundred remain.” With the alignment of Hamas leader Khaled Meshal with Qatar – which supported Syrian Islamists following the 2011 uprising – the Assad government increased the scale of its counteroffensive in Damascus. The article from the Economist notes that “Syria used to treat the Palestinians well,” providing education, health care and work opportunities. Some Palestinians suspect that the Assad regime wants to redevelop the area for Syrian use. – YaleGlobal