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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Lebanese bloc fears Palestinian 'naturalization' |
| 2010-08-23 |
| The leader of Lebanon's Change and Reform block voiced his movement's concern Sunday that the conferring of work rights to Palestinian refugees by parliament last week will lead to their naturalization. MP Ghassan Moukheiber told the Lebanese daily Ad-Diyar that the decision to naturalize is in the hands of the Israelis and the international community and not the Lebanese or the Palestinians. Several political figures have voiced similar fears over naturalization following Tuesday's parliamentary decision to grant Palestinian refugees in Lebanon the right to free-of-charge work permits and severance payments, the news site NOW Lebanon reported. Other parties, however, have hailed the move as an "historic step." In June, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Syrian Social National Party forwarded a draft law to the Lebanese parliament granting Palestinians in Lebanon access to property ownership, social security benefits, and various professions. Voting on the bill was delayed on several occasions as government sought to achieve a consensus vote. In July, a Lebanese MP warned of Israeli and US plans to naturalize Palestinian refugees, urging locals not to emigrate or sell land, Lebanese media reported. Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun told Zahle residents during a three-day tour that "This is an issue that we reject, and we will not be subject to any foreign policy planning to execute certain plans," the Daily Star quoted him as saying. Approximately 425,000 refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon with many living in the country's 12 refugee camps. According to UNRWA, the UN body set up to assist Palestinian refugees, in 2005, officially registered Palestine refugees born in Lebanon were allowed by law to work in the clerical and administrative sectors for the first time. However, refugees remain unable to work as doctors, dentists, lawyers, engineers, or accountants. Shortly after the bill was proposed, PLO representative to Lebanon Abdallah Abdallah said there was no intent for Palestinians to ask for political rights or access to state social services. "What the Palestinians want is the right to work like any other foreign nationals," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 HMMMMM, HMMMMMM, compare wid JAPAN > Japan Pol HIROHIKO NAKAMURA + others believe that JAPAN/NIPPON is facing such serious probs wid ABSOLUTE MANPOWER-LABOR SHORTAGE + AGING POPULATION + DECLINING BIRTH RATES, ETC. that LT Solution = National Survival may ultimat depend on JAPANESE-SPECIFIC GOVT + CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE, TOLERANCE OF MASSIVE INFLOWS OF FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS AS DE FACTO CITIZENS + PERMANENT RESIDENTS, + PREFERABLY FROM AROUND EAST ASIA. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-08-23 01:12 |