Palestinians from the "Seven Villages": Their Legal Status and Social Condition

The purpose of this study is to examine the socio-political condition of the people who were originally from the “Seven Villages,” and analyze their sense of affiliation. The Seven Villages are located at the southern border zone between Palestine and Lebanon, and their legal possession is still under dispute with Israel. Most of the villagers now reside in Lebanon; however, they were originally Shiites from Palestine, and thus, their background is rather complicated. In this paper, I shall briefly review their history, illustrate the political condition that they face in Lebanon, and draw on some case studies based on my research this August in Sur district. The study examines their sense of affiliation as well as the influence exerted by their legal status and present living conditions. Some of the results show the title of the paper ——Palestinians from the Seven Villages——does not convey their sense of affiliation, which swings between being Lebanese and being Palestinian. However, this study is designed as an account of the Palestinians who took nationality in Lebanon, and hence, the title is named after them.