Palestinians Reject New Work Laws in Lebanon, Fear a US Conspiracy

New guidelines recently published by the Lebanese government setting limitations on the work options of Palestinian refugees in the country have generated a storm within the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA leadership and several of the terrorist organizations have charged the Lebanese government of collaborating with the Americans and their implementation of the Deal of the Century peace deal and betraying the "Right of Return." The Lebanese Ministry of Labor in recent days published measures against various employers and workers at different Lebanese institutions and suspended the work of Arabs living in refugee camps until they obtain a work permit from the state in the framework of "combating illegal foreign labor." Lebanon says that its move is the enforcement of existing laws while the PA and other Palestinian organizations demanded that Lebanon recognize the uniqueness of the Palestinian refugee issue. They maintain that by implementing legal standards for the refugees they are in effect providing them with a form of residency, and by doing so are hindering their "Right of Return." The Palestinians for decades have refused to accept citizenship in the countries they live in so as to maintain their refugee status and their claim for a right to return to Israel. Citizenship is considered a taboo in PA society. The news that Israel and Lebanon have agreed on their maritime border has also fueled the rumors about anti-Palestinian conspiracies. The residents of the various refugee camps held demonstrations on Tuesday against the new laws and have planned further events for Wednesday. The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee has also voiced opposition to the Lebanese move. It has recently worked to formulate solutions for the Palestinians in Lebanon and those who have arrived from Syria. The Committee claims that the new Lebanese regulation runs contrary to international laws and regulations governing the residency of the refugees displaced by force. A senior Hamas official in Lebanon stated it rejects any decision or measure to shut down businesses owned by Palestinian refugees, impose restrictions on Palestinian laborers, and ban them from working. "We hold the sides standing behind these arbitrary and unjust measures fully responsible for these decisions that target the dignity and rights of Palestinian refugees and will lead to social tensions," Hamas warned. "We stress that we will not accept any threat to the lives of Palestinian refugees and will foil the ‘slow killing policy.'" Hamas claimed that Lebanon was serving US interests. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), there are about 350,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon living in 12 camps. However, the first official census of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon conducted in late 2017 revealed that there are only 174,422 Palestinians living in Lebanon. The Palestinians, including original refugees from seven decades ago and their descendants, were believed to number about 450,000, but tens of thousands have emigrated from Lebanon over recent decades, seeking better opportunities. The refugees in Lebanon are considered worse off than in other countries. They live in closed camps, in poor conditions and are in constant conflict among themselves and with rival factions. They lack civil rights and are placed under limitations. Lebanon has repeatedly stated that it is not interested in allowing the refugees to stay in its territory. It fears that their presence will cause an imbalance in the delicate inter-sectorial relations in the country.