‘Non-ID’ refugees
Between 3,000 and 5,000 Palestinians in Lebanon are not registered with Lebanese authorities and therefore considered undocumented. Because they are unregistered, precise and up-to-date numbers are difficult to obtain. This non-homogenous group includes: 1) Palestinians in Lebanon since the late 1960s and 1970s who are not registered with either the Lebanese authorities or UNRWA in Lebanon, although they may be registered with UNRWA elsewhere; they may have some form of documentation to prove their Palestinian identity, either from one of UNRWA’s ‘fields’ of operations (e.g. Palestinians holding valid or expired Jordanian IDs, who are unable to return to Jordan or the West Bank if the holder was originally from there prior to 1988; 2) Palestinians from the Gaza Strip with Egyptian TDPRs who are not allowed either to stay in Egypt or to return to Gaza (those who left Gaza before 1967); 3) Palestinians expelled by Israel from the oPt post-1967 and not allowed to return; 4) Palestinians from any Arab country (e.g. Iraq, Egypt) who for various reasons are unable to return there. As such, these Palestinians fall in the category of ‘[f]oreign nationals who do not hold identity papers from their country of origin [ ... ], residence cards issued by the General Directorate of General Security [Sûreté Générale] or identity cards issued by [the DPRA]’.
Because they lack registration with Lebanese authorities, the Palestinians in this category have no legal status in Lebanon. They face harsher restrictions than Palestinians registered with Lebanese authorities and/or UNRWA in Lebanon, with respect to conducting civil registration procedures (birth, marriage, and death certificates), accessing public services and (formal) employment, freedom of movement inside Lebanon and abroad, and because of their irregular documentation status, they have generally been at risk of arrest and detention. As a result, many have confined themselves to the camps, out of reach of the Lebanese authorities. UNRWA provides Non-IDs with basic services such as primary healthcare and education, despite the fact they are not registered.
Until 1982, when the PLO was ousted from Lebanon, Non-ID Palestinians received assistance and support from the PLO. This included issuing an informal ‘proof of nationality’ card (watha’iq ithbat jinsiyyeh) that would facilitate their access to social services and jobs in the refugee camps. This was a proof of identity only, even though it was recognized by the (p. 218) Lebanese authorities, and gave no entitlement to legal residency. In 2006, the PLO resumed the issuance of ‘proof of nationality’ cards. In 2008, on the basis of an agreement between the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon and the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security (GDGS), the latter started issuing, under certain conditions, Special Identification Cards (SICs) (commonly known as bitaqat taarif), [not specific to Palestinians]25 which constitute a proof of identity for undocumented Palestinians. In essence, this is equivalent to the PLO issued ‘proof of nationality’ card; while not constituting proof of legal residency, they are meant to give the holder a proof of identity that was recognizable by the Lebanese security apparatus (hence granting the holder freedom of movement). The cards were issued based on information provided by the PLO, valid for one year and renewable, at no cost. This operation has not achieved significant results, and is presently on hold.
Since 2011, the Palestinian Embassy, in agreement with the Lebanese authorities, has been providing Non- ID Palestinians with PA passports/travel documents (without national number). Though not sufficient to secure residency or freedom of movement within Lebanon, it provides Non-IDs the opportunity to travel abroad and apply for temporary residence permits in Lebanon.
25 Walaa Kayyal and Thomas McGee, (2019), Statelessness and Service Provision Implications for Communities of Mobile Origin: the Bedouin and Nawar of Lebanon. Unpublished.
Palestinian refugees from Syria
During the Syria crisis, over 45,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria approached UNRWA in Lebanon for assistance, and 29,000 were still in the country at the end of 2018. Forty per cent of them were reported to be without legal residence in 2016.
Palestinian refugees from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon have experienced increasing difficulties in securing their entry and, once in the country, they often endure poor and unsafe living conditions. At the onset of the conflict in Syria, they were reportedly allowed entry into Lebanon using their Syrian ID cards or TDPRs, provided they had obtained a Syrian exit visa in advance. As of 2013, entry restrictions were imposed. Their stay has (p. 219) been conditional upon obtaining a residence permit, which became free of charge in 2017 for those who had arrived before September 2016. Progressively tighter restrictions on the entry of Palestinians into Lebanon have made legal entry extremely difficult. Those who have managed to enter the country have experienced difficulties in maintaining legal residency and accessing civil documentation, and have faced exploitation and abuse because of their socio- economic vulnerability. While no forced returns to Syria have been documented, between May 2014 and June 2018, cases of non-readmission in Lebanon of Palestinian refugees who had attempted to return to Syria due to the poor living conditions in Lebanon were reported. Because of the severe limitations on employment in Lebanon, Palestinian refugees from Syria are highly vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity and largely dependent on aid.
Those who are registered with UNRWA in Syria have access to UNRWA schools, health clinics and other services in Lebanon, representing a twenty per cent increase in the number of beneficiaries served by UNRWA, through limited means. This has given rise to further exploitation of the Palestinian workforce, including exploitation of minors. Conditions in Lebanon have led to many Palestinian refugees from Syria to attempt the arduous and hazardous journey to Europe, while others have returned to Syria, despite the uncertainty and possible dangers of the evolving situation in the country.”
(Source: “Francesca P. Albanese and Lex Takkenberg/Oxford University Press, Palestinian Refugees in International Law”, May 2020, Chapter 3.3.3, Legal Status and Treatment, pp. 275-279)
Legal experts, Dr. Francesca Albanese and Prof. Lex Takkenberg also wrote in their book Palestinian Refugees in International Law:
“Comparatively more refugees in Lebanon than in Syria and Jordan have relatives abroad, an indication that emigration has been substantial for this refugee group. It is also a sign that more are likely to continue to leave as the situation worsens in Lebanon.”
(Source: “Francesca P. Albanese and Lex Takkenberg/Oxford University Press, Palestinian Refugees in International Law”, May 2020, Chapter 3.3.2, p. 274)