On Tuesday 25/11/2025, the Palestinian Foundation for Human
Rights (witness) concluded a specialized
workshop entitled "What Rights of the Palestinian Refugee in Light
of the Current Reality?as part of the "Legal Dignity" project
with the support of the Norwegian People's Aid Association (NPA), with the
participation of legal and human rights experts, representatives of Palestinian
and Lebanese civil society, and representatives of Palestinian factions and
Lebanese parties.
The workshop opened with a welcome speech from the Shahid
Foundation presented by Mr. Hassan Sayeda, and a speech by the representative
of the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Lebanon, Dr. Mohammed Al-Saad,
presented by Mr. Wissam Abu Zeid, in which he stressed the depth of the
relationship between the Palestinian and Lebanese states, and the rejection of
the settlement of Palestinian refugees, and the right of return for them, while
approving the civil rights of the refugees.
The workshop discussed four main themes, including:
1. A reading of the vision of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue
Committee on the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, presented by the
coordinator and legal officer of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee,
Ms. Daniela Saud, who pointed out that the "Unified Lebanese Vision",
presented in 2017, constituted a positive step in terms of recognizing the need
to improve the conditions of refugees, but it remained public and not binding
on the state and its institutions. It focused on improving living conditions,
but did not resolve the issue of legal rights, with the continued absence of an
executive mechanism for the vision that makes it It is more like a document of
intent, not a public policy.
Saud stressed the need to update the vision, stressing the
need to provide a legal environment that allows Palestinian refugees to
exercise their civil rights, and move from circulars to legislation, while
stressing that there is no contradiction between the refusal of resettlement
and the granting of rights.
2. The Legal and Human Rights Situation of Palestinian Refugees
in Lebanon was presented by the Director of the Public Relations Department at
the Shahid Foundation, Mr. Mohammed Al-Shouli, where he pointed to the high
rate of poverty and unemployment within the Palestinian refugee camps, food
insecurity and economic stagnation, the deterioration of education, the high
rate of school dropouts, the fragile health situation, the aging of
infrastructure, the accompanying legal ambiguity for the Palestinian refugee,
institutional discrimination, and gross violations of his rights. In this
regard, Al-Shouli called for the lifting of restrictions on the camps, as well
as UNRWA to enhance services and make more efforts to bring in funding, and to
strengthen empowerment programs for refugees.
3. The most prominent challenges faced by previous advocacy
campaigns to demand the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, presented by
the General Coordinator of the Center for Refugee Rights (Return), Dr. Mahmoud
Al-Ali, where he pointed out that the rights of Palestinian workers are linked
to political transformations in Lebanon, and the absence of mechanisms for
affiliation with unions.
4. The legal options for human rights advocacy at the moment to
demand the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon were presented by the
Director of the Palestinian Foundation for Human Rights (witness), Dr. Mahmoud
Al-Hanafi, who stressed that the civil rights of Palestinian refugees are
obligations of the Lebanese state, not a grant, pointing to the lack of an
objective and rational assessment of interests in Lebanon. Al-Hanafi called for
resolving the legal status of the refugee, presenting a viable vision and a
more effective mechanism that involves everyone, including Palestinian civil
society.
The workshop concluded with a set of conclusions that
emphasize the need to improve the reality of Palestinian refugees, away from
any political considerations related to resettlement or security dimensions.
The Palestinian Foundation for Human Rights (Shahed) stressed that improving
the conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is a legal, human rights and
moral duty that does not affect national identity or the right of return, but
rather promotes social stability and protects human dignity. Shahed reiterated
its commitment to continue legal and human rights work in cooperation with
Lebanese and international institutions to ensure respect for refugees' rights
to work, security, housing, and public participation.
The most prominent recommendations issued by the
workshop:
1. At the level of public policies:
·The need to adopt an updated Lebanese national vision
towards Palestinian refugees based on basic rights and international standards.
·Cooperation between State institutions, UNRWA and civil
society organizations to ensure coordinated efforts.
·Include the Palestinian rights file in public policies
away from the narrow security approach.
2. Right to work:
·Calling on the Ministry of Labor to consider the
Palestinian as a special category, and not a full foreigner, which will be
reflected in the regulatory measures.
·Exempting Palestinians from work permits in permitted
professions, or radically simplifying them.
·Apply all the guarantees of the Lebanese Labor Law to
Palestinian workers.
3. Social Security:
·Enabling the Palestinian worker to benefit from the
sickness and maternity branch, and adjusting the discriminatory percentages in
deductions.
·Strengthen coordination between social security and UNRWA
to cover health gaps.
·Ensure that workers receive fair and equitable
end-of-service compensation.
4. Ownership Right:
·Calling for a review of Law 296/2001, which prohibits
Palestinians from owning property.
·Asserting that property is an individual right that is
not tied to any political path.
5. Public Participation and Governance within the Camps:
·Involve refugees in the formulation of UNRWA programmes
and operational plans.
·Strengthen the role of refugees in decision-making within
Palestinian institutions, UNRWA, and camp committees.
6. For the official Lebanese authorities:
·Adopt a uniform official policy that recognizes the basic
rights of refugees.
·Taking into account Lebanon's international obligations
in the formulation and implementation of refugee procedures.
·End the discretionary practices in the official
administrations towards the Palestinians.
·Calling on the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee to
put pressure on UNRWA to sign the headquarters agreement.
7. UNRWA:
·Developing social protection programs in response to the
worsening living crisis.
·Improve complaints mechanisms and ensure transparency in
their redressal.
·Strengthen partnerships with local human rights
organizations to serve the rights of refugees.
8. Recommendations for the Palestinian Foundation for Human
Rights (witness):
·Establish a permanent human rights observatory to follow
up on violations and update legal information.
·Establish a free legal support center to support
Palestinian workers in their legal reviews.
·Issue periodic policy papers to be submitted to Lebanese
and international bodies.
·Strengthening Lebanese-Palestinian Human Rights Alliances
for Joint Advocacy