Residents of the Shi'ite Muslim village of Meiss el Jebel in southern Lebanon have refused all aid from Israeli and rightist Lebanese soldiers who entered their village last week (20-24 February).

SYNOPSIS: Meiss el Jebel lies only a kilometres inside the Lebanese border with Israel. The Israelis built a military road to the village, and often use it.

The village at first turned down a general offer of help, then told a rightist patrol, which promised to return with vegetables, that they did not want them. The villagers said they were not involved in any of the clashes that had happened in the region, and preferred to remain outside the fighting between Palestinians and the Lebanese rightists, who are backed by the Israelis. The people said they were self-sufficient.

One reason for their desire for neutrality was the fact that their village is only eight kilometres (five miles) from the Palestinian/Lebanese leftist stronghold of Bint Jbail. they have said they would accept only a force belonging to the Lebanese government of President Elias Sarkis. About one third of the villagers have already left for safer parts of the country.