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Ex-minister of refugees' affairs calls on Lebanese parliament to grant them rights

February 20, 2014 at 3:29 pm

The former minister of Palestinian Refugees’ Affairs, Dr. Atef Adwan, has called upon the Lebanese parliament to grant Palestinian refugees in Lebanon their social and humanitarian rights in order to live with dignity in the country. Palestinians in Lebanon are prohibited by law from working in more than seventy occupations, owning property or owning their own business outside the refugee camps. In addition, they are deprived of many civil rights enjoyed by Lebanese citizens.

Dr. Adwan told Quds Press that a meeting held in Lebanon to debate refugees’ rights is significant. “For the Lebanese parliament to convene such a meeting on the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon proves that there is political movement on this issue which will,” he said, “lead to positive decisions in favour of Palestinian human being.”


Refugees in Lebanon suffer greatly at the social, political, humanitarian and basic living levels, added the MP. “The Palestinian presence in Lebanon is both ancient and temporary. All parties and factions in Lebanon should work together to give the Palestinian refugees their full rights.”

The ex-minister stressed that the Palestinian refugees still cling to the dreams of their land and the right to return and are against any permanent settlement outside Palestine, “But for humanitarian reasons alone, the Palestinians must be granted the fundamental rights enjoyed by every human being.”

Recent communications have taken place between Dr. Ahmed Bahar, Deputy President of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Nabih Berri, President of the Lebanese Council of Representatives, in which topics such as the civil rights of Palestinian refugees residing in Lebanon and their living conditions were discussed.