The creation of state of Israel in 1948 and the ensuing Arab-Israeli war resulted in massive displacement and exodus of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. It has been nearly 60 years since the first wave of Palestinians found asylum in neighbouring Arab countries. The arbitrary conditions and the colonialist forces that were behind the expulsion of the Palestinians from their homeland are mainly responsible for their misery and suffering. The Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon is one of the world’s most longstanding refugee populations. The refugees in Lebanon are perhaps the most unfortunate and destitute grouping of Palestinian refugees in any Arab host country. They are deprived of almost all civil rights and subjected to various forms of marginalisation- spatial, institutional and economic- and this is often linked to exclusion and violence. Moreover, even the existing peace proposals failed to address the Palestinian refugees especially in Lebanon. However, the terrible circumstances facing the refugees were made worse by certain factors in some host countries, such as Lebanon. It is noticed that the restrictions imposed on the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are still in existence, in spite of the peace process to settle the Palestine question. Even the government is imposing severe discriminations on Palestinian refugees fearing that the recognising them would affect the demographic balance in Lebanon. Now these refugees have no hope of return to their homeland as there is no progress in the formation of an independent state of Palestine.
Although Lebanon is a multi-ethnic country with 17 officially recognised sects, the three main sects Muslims, Christians and Druze constitute the majority. The influx of Palestinian refugees was treated by the non-Muslim community in Lebanon as a threat to the sectarian balance and the economic advantage they enjoy. This is the pivotal reason for the Palestinian miseries in Lebanon. In fact, the Palestinian refugees in other Arab countries are better placed as they are not subjected to any discrimination or harassment as in Lebanon. At the same time, the attempt of the Muslim leaders and organisations to provide relief to the Palestinian refugees often met with political unrest. It is nearing 60 years since the Palestinian refugees, now entering the fourth generation, entered Lebanon. During this period, they have undergone tremendous transformations. Yet, there is no sincere attempt from the international community to address the issues of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
When the Palestinian self-rule commenced in the West Bank area and Gaza Strip under the Oslo accord, there is no provision to address the issues of the Palestinian refugees. Despite the demand of Hamas and other radical Palestinian organisations for the right of return for the Palestinian refugees, there is no favourable response even from the Arab leaders. For the Palestinians, the refugees are at the heart of their national liberation struggle, although, they have historically been careful not to define Palestine problem as solely a refugee situation. To do so might imply a humanitarian solution based on resettlement rather than a political one based on issues of national sovereignty. There is also the concern by some and hope by others that ‘final status’ negotiations on the issue would lead to its demise as an issue by promoting the permanent integration of refugees into the various host countries where they reside. The Palestine question is not simply one of securing a state for a people, but also one of basic dignity and humanity, where all people are entitled to fundamental human rights.
The future of the Palestinian community in Lebanon seems to be lying somewhere between "integration" and "conflict." Most of the Lebanese groups do not have any objection to provide the refugees with basic social and economic rights such as the right to employment, public education, health etc. but many of them fear the political and demographic repercussion of resettling them permanently on the sensitive sectarian balance. While their fate hangs to an unresolved process of negotiations, the Palestinian resettlement issue in Lebanon continues to fuel the debate.
