Palestinians evicted as Iraqis come home

Hundreds of Palestinian families who have lived in Iraq for more than 50 years are finding themselves on the streets after being evicted from their homes after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

More than 35,000 Palestinians who lived in Iraq since they were displaced from their homeland upon Israel's founding in 1948 have enjoyed Saddam's protection, often housed in the homes of Iraqis evicted by authorities for opposing the government, or in government property.

But now that US troops have toppled Saddam, many have found themselves on the streets after some original homeowners returned to claim their property or when other Iraqis, taking advantage of the legal vacuum after Baghdad's fall last month, have simply taken over government houses, forcing tenants out.

Anwar al-Awawda, who runs a health clinic, said about 350 families had moved into tents set up in the clinic's courtyard around an unexploded US missile in Baghdad's Baladiyat area.

"Now there is no government, some 350 Palestinian families have been expelled from their houses and the number is on the rise every hour," Dr Awawda said.

He said the families, who were sharing 64 tents, were mostly living on hand-outs from charities or neighbours. Other Palestinians have moved in with relatives.

"I left my grown-up daughters and my wife at a house of one of my relatives," said Samir Mohammed, 44.

"I cannot bring them here."

Some of the families said they were given time to evacuate their homes, but others were forced to leave on the spot.

"They kicked me out of the house and hit my daughter," said Hayat Hussein, 40, a mother of four. Sitting in a bare tent except for a rug and clothes, Mrs Hussein said she had sold her furniture to buy food.

Another woman, Fatima Khudhur, said: "They threatened us with guns to force us to leave. We left our things with our relatives. There is no place for them here."

Many camp dwellers regretted Saddam's downfall. "No one dared to harm us when he was here," said Thamir Mohammed.