Palestinian-Syrian refugees face hardship in Lebanon
About 60,000 Palestinian-Syrians have fled to Lebanon, but many are finding that they cannot work and cannot afford food and housing.
BEIRUT — It's no secret that the longtime Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are suffering from poor economic and social conditions as a result of the decreasing aid from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and from Lebanese laws that prevent these refugees from working in 73 professions.
This suffering is worsening following the displacement of more than 1 million Syrians to Lebanon, along with about 60,000 Palestinian refugees who lived in Syria and moved to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, where they are competing with the original camp residents over the scarce living space and work opportunities available.
Anis Mohsen, Palestinian researcher specialized in Palestinian affairs and editorial secretary of the Journal of Palestine Studies, told Al-Monitor that some of the displaced Syrians and Palestinian-Syrians who can afford it have rented homes inside the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. This has raised rents in the already overcrowded camps and led to chaotic and dangerous construction with many camp residents illegally building additional floors and renting them out, causing a risk of building collapse.
“Construction workers and street vendors inside the camps are affected by the competition of Palestinian-Syrians," Mohsen said. "Outside the camps, however, the Palestinian-Syrians do not work and therefore do not pose a threat to the Palestinian-Lebanese.”
