As Lebanon heads toward parliamentary elections, lawmakers are revisiting long-standing questions about the legal and social status of Palestinian refugees. The Lebanese–Palestinian Dialogue Committee, chaired by Ramez Dimashkieh, has placed refugee rights back on the table, framing them as a matter of dignity rather than political concession.
"Palestinian refugees have legitimate human rights, separate from the issue of arms in the camps," Dimashkieh told The Beiruter.
It is their right to live with dignity, just as it is for anyone residing in Lebanon
Quiet Reforms Underway
According to Dimashkieh, a series of practical initiatives are already moving forward, largely outside the public eye. Among them: easing restrictions on Palestinian employment, modernizing outdated residency papers that have gone untouched for more than fifty years, and introducing biometric identification cards to facilitate daily transactions. He described the current situation, where many Palestinians lack valid documentation, as “nothing short of shameful.”
The Ministry of Labor has also begun exploring ways to expand access for Palestinians to certain professional sectors, gradually chipping away at a system that has long confined them to the margins of Lebanon’s economy.
Decoupling Rights from Security
Addressing the sensitive issue of weapons in the camps, Dimashkieh insisted that while disarmament is essential for stability, it must not be conflated with refugee rights. “The question of arms belongs to security and sovereignty,” he said, “but economic, social, and cultural rights should be addressed within Lebanon’s constitutional and legal framework, independent of political pressure.”
The draft law under discussion seeks to secure legal protections and fundamental rights for Palestinians without undermining the state’s longstanding commitments: the constitutional ban on naturalization and adherence to UN General Assembly Resolution 194, which affirms both the right of return and the right to compensation.
Balancing Rights and Sovereignty
For Dimashkieh, affirming these principles does not conflict with granting Palestinian refugees the ability to work, move freely, and live with dignity in Lebanon. Instead, he argued, such measures reinforce Lebanon’s sovereignty by placing refugee policy firmly within the rule of law.
Through consultations with Lebanese officials, Palestinian representatives, and international partners, the Dialogue Committee is pushing to navigate Lebanon’s fraught political landscape while securing overdue reforms. Whether the country’s next parliament will endorse these proposals remains an open question, but Dimashkieh made clear: the debate is no longer about charity or concession it is about rights.
