Witness - Leaving al-Tanf

When hundreds of Palestinians fleeing Iraq arrived at the Tanf crossing on the Syrian border in May 2006, no country in the region would accept them. Returning to Iraq was not an option, so the United Nations set up a tent camp in the border 'no-man's land' as a temporary solution. Now, after years of living in the grim conditions, the refugees are at last able to move on. Gradually, UNHCR managed to negotiate the relocation of 1000 Palestinians from Iraq to a handful of European countries. Finally in late 2009 a small number of residents were given permission to settle in Italy.