exclusively. It should not be construed or interpreted further, drawing upon its provisions that are not explicitly or distinctly clear. The last paragraph of Article 4 of Law No. 15 of 1925 deals with only one case, namely, the case of a foreign mother who had taken Lebanese citizenship, i.e., who was naturalized and acquired Lebanese nationality through the naturalization process, after she had been a foreign national and after the death of her foreign husband. This article allows her minor children to acquire Lebanese nationality.31 Second point: If a Lebanese woman married a foreigner, retains her Lebanese nationality and did not lose it by marriage, will her minor children have the right to acquire Lebanese nationality in the event of the death of her husband? In this case, there also two different views: The first perspective is represented in the jurisprudence issued by Lebanese courts, which stipulates that children of a Lebanese woman married to a foreigner who retained her Lebanese nationality and did not lose it by marriage, her minor children may acquire Lebanese nationality after the death of her husband.32 The second perspective is based on some jurisprudence that contravenes this principle and considers that children, in this case, cannot be granted Lebanese nationality, as nationality is regarded as a political and spiritual bond between the individual and the State. This jurisprudence also finds that the Lebanese legislator neglected to regulate the status of minor children of the mother who recovers her Lebanese nationality. Therefore, there is no provision enabling them to be considered Lebanese, given that nationality is based on jus sanguinis rather than on the womb bond grounds.33 established under Law No. 15 of 1925 — upon the enactment of legislation that excluded women from their natural right to pass on their nationality to their children on an equal footing as men. This confirms that the male perspective prevailed when this law was drafted, despite the fact that the principle of equality in rights and duties among citizens is enshrined in the Lebanese Constitution. How does the Lebanese State fear permanent settlement (Tawteen) when a Lebanese woman marries a Palestinian and is not afraid of permanent settlement when a Lebanese man marries a Palestinian woman? The Palestinian woman, married to a Lebanese, acquires Lebanese nationality administratively. The question is whether permanent settlement passes only through Lebanese women and not Lebanese men.35 Second: Naturalization Naturalization clauses in Article 3 of Law No. 15 of 1925 Article 3 of Law No. 15 of 1925 stipulates that a person may acquire Lebanese nationality by virtue of an order issued by the President of the Republic after investigation and at the request of: • A foreigner who can prove that he or she has lived in Lebanon for five years without interruption. • A foreign man who marries a Lebanese woman and can prove he has lived in Lebanon for one year since his marriage without interruption. The legislator makes the alien husband obtain nationality by a personal decision issued by the President of the Republic without interference from the judiciary and beyond the Directorate of Personal Status’s competence if the applicant for naturalization fulfils the general requirements for naturalization.36 • A foreigner who offers estimable services to Lebanon; in this case, the application should be accepted by a reasoned decision. Estimable services may be actual missions in the private armies if performed for two years or more. Third point: Naturalized Lebanese woman married to a Palestinian The Lebanese Court of Cassation, in its subsequent decisions, as well as some basic courts, first instance and appeal, concluded that Article 4 of Law No. 15 does not apply to the children of a naturalized woman, married to a Palestinian who died on a date when his children were still minors. That is because the Lebanese State, in paragraph (i) of the preamble of its Constitution, and by its signature of the Charter of the Arab League and its participation in issuing decisions regarding Palestinian refugees and its affirmation “on creating employment opportunities for those residing on its territory while retaining their Palestinian nationality as a general principle” has decided to retain the Palestinian nationality to those who hold it. In addition to the fact that the Lebanese Constitution, the Charter of the Arab League and what emanated from decisions would be equivalent to any law issued by the Lebanese Authority; rather, they supersede Article 4 of Law No. 15 of 1925 and amend it concerning Palestinians so that this Article does not apply to the children of a Lebanese woman married to a Palestinian who died on a date when his children were still minors. However, if a Lebanese man marries a Palestinian woman, he grants her Lebanese citizenship by marriage, and Lebanese nationality is transferred to his children by paternity.34 It must be pointed out here that the Palestinian problem did not exist in 1925 — the date when the Lebanese nationality was 10 As reflected above, naturalization is granted when an alien expresses his or her will to obtain Lebanese nationality at a request to the competent authorities based on the conditions set by the law. The authorities accept or reject with full freedom, even if other legal requirements are met because naturalization is an act of sovereignty left to the absolute discretion of the State and not a right for everyone applying for it.37 In the case where a naturalized father submits a Naturalization Decree in the Personal Status Record after the birth of one of his children, this execution is not retroactive, so the issue lies in the naturalized person’s acceptance of naturalization, and if this acceptance occurs at a later date after the birth, he cannot register the child on his record. However, he must file a nationality lawsuit, not a birth registration suit.38 It should be noted that the Naturalization Decree takes effect only after paying the legally required fees, and therefore the naturalized person acquires the Lebanese nationality as of the payment of these fees and not from the date of the issuance of