Beirut, MINA – Dr. Fathi Kleib, a researcher specializing in Palestinian refugee affairs, stated that Palestinian workers have never posed an economic burden or labor threat to host countries. On the contrary, he argued, they have historically played a key role in driving national economic growth across various sectors.
Speaking at a workshop organized by The Lebanese-Palestinian Coalition for the Right to Work Campaign for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon, Dr. Kleib emphasized that the denial of employment rights to Palestinians is rooted not in legal or economic concerns, but in political calculations tied to their refugee status.
“The refusal to grant Palestinian refugees the right to work freely is not based on legal or economic rationale,” Kleib said, “but on political considerations aimed at undermining their legal identity as refugees.”
The workshop, held at the Sidon Municipality in southern Lebanon on International Labor Day was attended by former Lebanese Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram, along with representatives from Palestinian factions, labor unions, civil committees, and social institutions.
Also Read: European Union Urges Israel to Lift Gaza Blockade, Open Access to Humanitarian Aid
“Palestinian refugees are not asking the state to provide them with jobs,” Kleib stressed. “They are simply demanding protection from exploitation through fair labor laws. The insistence on restrictive work permits is merely a tool to deny their rights and render them foreigners in their place of refuge.”
Kleib called for urgent legal reform that acknowledges the unique status of Palestinian refugees, grounded in the historical and fraternal ties between the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples.
“It is time to amend flawed legislation and recognize Palestinians as rightful refugees, not as foreigners temporarily allowed to work in a host country,” he concluded.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Israeli Strikes on Southern Gaza Kill 14 Civilians, Including Infant
Mina Indonesia
Mina Arabic
Mina Sport