Back to Contents from Hamas and some former PLO factions close to Syria regime saying we should keep our arms to protect ourselves, as if there is still a war between Lebanese and Palestinian, and this is not true. There is a close collaboration today between the Lebanese people and the Palestinian Refugees. And there is a close collaboration, if I may say, between the Lebanese army and the Palestinian political factions. They are in close collaboration. This is where this kind of checkpoints narrative should change on both sides. Asylos: And would you say that it also includes checkpoints which are not run by Lebanese army, the checkpoints which are rather run by…. Ziad El Sayegh: By the Palestinian themselves within the camps. Asylos: If I understood correctly, you're saying that checkpoints led by the authorities are not so much of an issue for the freedom of movement. But then we heard also of other types of checkpoints which are run by different militia. Ziad El Sayegh: Absolutely. This is what I'm trying to say. And it's time to emphasize on this balance and to stop this victimization of the Palestinian refugees and also putting the Lebanese people, the Lebanese army as if they are, against, the Palestinian Refugees. And this is not true. This is not true on both sides. Asylos: And which types of militia would run these checkpoints? Ziad El Sayegh: Hezbollah. It's very simple. Even if it is informal sometimes. When I say Hezbollah militia, if I may say, it is not directly only Hezbollah. Sometimes you have Palestinian groups controlled by Hezbollah, who are Palestinian militia but close to Hezbollah. This is how Hezbollah is dealing. who are close to the Syrian regime, close to Hezbollah. This is how Hezbollah is treating the militias inside and around the camps. It's very complicated. It's not as easy as you can imagine. And it's time to adjust this situation this is why I told you when we started: it's time to put an end for a traditional approaches. Let's go to understand the complexity of this creation. Asylos: The next question, still related to freedom of movement, is now rather about the possibility to leave Lebanon on a temporary or permanent basis for stateless Palestinians. We found information on the difficulty for stateless Palestinians who have left Lebanon without an official document to reenter Lebanon if they want to. Ziad El Sayegh: No, they can reenter Lebanon. There was a decision in 2007 to not allow them to be back in Lebanon, and in 2008, The Lebanese Government put it an end for this because we relied on a convention that Lebanon signed and approved, and it was an Arabic League, okay? If they go, they can go back, and if they have another nationality, they can keep for them also, the Palestinian refugees document. This was solved in 2008 based on that Lebanon should respect the United Nations resolutions and conventions and the Arabic resolution and conventions. If you tell me everybody is coming back without any difficulty, I cannot assure you. Maybe when they arrive to the airport, they will be subject to some difficulties, but legally speaking, it is solved. It is clear. Legally speaking, it is clear, but in Lebanon, as everywhere sometimes, not only Lebanon, you have the law, and you have some administrative measures based on some facts and information. Maybe they can modify such an implementation of the law, but the law is very clear. Asylos: I would move to the next section on health. We found a report mentioning an increase of hepatitis A among the population of stateless Palestinians since 2020. Are you aware of such an increase? Ziad El Sayegh: Yes, of course. Not only on the Palestinian Refugees side. It is on the Syrian Refugees, so the Syria refugee side, but also on the Lebanese community now. We are facing this problem-Asylos: And are you aware of other communicable diseases which are now on the rise? Ziad El Sayegh: No, no. It was COVID, hepatitis, and the UNICEF, the UNRWA, and other UN agencies, and the INGOs, and the NGOs, but also some faith-based organization are taking care of this within the camps and outside the camps. And there is a close collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and the United Nations agencies and program and also the NGOs to make sure to try to contain these health problems. But it is affecting not only the Palestine refugees. It's affecting even the Lebanese community. 17. Appendices 169