Today, on September 16th, we remember the Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982, where thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians were slaughtered in Beirut, under the protection of the Israeli military. Ariel Sharon, Israel’s Defense Minister at the time, enabled this atrocity, setting a precedent for the impunity that continues today with the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In 2000, we sought to bring Sharon to justice using Belgium’s universal jurisdiction law, which allows for the prosecution of war crimes anywhere in the world. But intense political pressure led to the law being changed, shielding Sharon from accountability.

The same forces continue to obstruct justice today, as efforts to hold Israel accountable for crimes in Gaza are met with similar suppression. Yet, the fight for justice endures. Sabra and Shatila marked the beginning of a dark legacy that continues in Gaza today. Our resolve to end Israel’s impunity and seek justice remains stronger than ever.

Written by Dyab Abou Jahjah @Aboujahjah

Pierre Pascal Rossi, a correspondent for Swiss Radio and Television, could not contain himself from the horror of what he witnessed of the atrocities committed against civilians in the Sabra and Shatila camps, when he entered the Sabra camp on September 20, 1982. The words could barely come out of his mouth as he struggled to hold back his tears. In this video, the painful and cruel images of the victims, and the pain of their loved ones, tell of the brutality of the Phalanges, the South Lebanon Army, and the “Israeli” occupation army.