Report: Palestinian Refugees Need More Interaction with Host Communities

Greater interaction between Palestinian refugees and their host communities will provide greater understanding and lessen discrimination according to a report by the Danish Refugee Council. The project, which focused on refugees living in Lebanon, was funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department. In Lebanon, there are more than 400,000 Palestinians who are registered and thousands more who are not registered. The report also suggests that the high level of violence found in Palestinian refugee camps would be reduced if greater space and institutions through which frustrations could be released were provided. Palestinians’ movement is restricted and they are not allowed to own property or work in jobs above the most menial. The report also cites the “sense of imprisonment” Palestinians in Lebanon experience because of frequent checkpoints and the fact they are denied identification cards.