Iraq to abolish rights given to Palestine refugees

The Iraqi government is planning to repeal laws that give merits, including citizenship and free education to Palestinian refugees in the country, Quds Press reported yesterday.

Palestinian sources in Iraq warned that the Iraqi President Fuad Masum had issued a law regarding the residence of foreigners in Iraq on 2 October which will take effect at the beginning of 2018.

The law, which applies to Palestinian refugees, annuls a number of previous decisions issued by the Revolutionary Command Council during former president Saddam Hussein’s era.

One of the decisions gave several merits to the Palestinian refugees, including travel documents, identification papers, free education, healthcare insurance, financial stipends and free homes.

Palestinian refugees in Iraq said that cancelling free education, healthcare insurance and the complex travel procedures are the most problematic issues for them.

Iraq: Arab League’s statement on Jerusalem ‘disappointing’

Quds Press said that about 4,000 Palestinian refugees live in Iraq, noting the number declined from 30,000 before the American invasion in 2003.

Hundreds are currently living in refugee camps after they were prevented from entering Syria and Jordan.