The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) in London delivered a compelling oral statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council, shedding light on the precarious humanitarian and legal situation faced by Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, particularly those displaced from Syria.

PRC highlighted the ongoing legal instability and lack of comprehensive protection from the Lebanese state for Palestinian refugees who have fled from Syria to Lebanon. These refugees face compounded complexities and challenges, exacerbating their already dire circumstances.

PRC representative said that since July 2017, there have been no new legal settlements issued for Syrian Palestinian refugees residing in Lebanon. This has left approximately 70% of these refugees without legal residency, placing them at risk of forcible deportation. The Lebanese General Security Directorate has recently issued decisions to halt residencies and deport those violating residency regulations, ignoring the severe risks of detention and persecution these refugees might face upon return to Syria.

PRC said that, in cooperation with the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, it has documented numerous instances of detention and forcible deportation to Syria. Among these cases are the deportations of Basel Mustafa Al-Khatib and Jihad Mohammed Al-Kurdi, a father of three, among others.

PRC urged the Human Rights Council to pressure the Lebanese government to grant Palestinian refugees from Syria a secure legal status that ensures their basic rights, especially for those without identification documents or facing deportation orders. It also called for the lifting of restrictions on the right to work and freedom of movement for these refugees.

PRC also stressed the need for the protection and expansion of the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The statement concluded with a poignant reminder of the urgent need for international support and solidarity to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and uphold their fundamental human rights.