In 1875, Victor Guérin passed by the village (which he called Naser) on his travels in the region, describing it located "on a hill" and being "quite considerable, and its population consists of Metualis and "Greeks united".

Six months after the camp was opened the commanding officer was replaced following reports of routine beatings, food and water being withheld, prisoners blindfolded for long periods and insufficient sanitation.

[4] The following month 4,500 prisoners from Ansar were released in exchange for six Israeli soldiers held by the PLO.

[6] An Israel Army reservist who had served at Ansar was quoted in the newspaper Maariv as saying that the old camp had been sitting on top of a tunnel system.

During the 2006 Lebanon War, the village was bombed by Israeli forces and five civilians were killed.