Back to Contents Quds Net News Agency, which belong to the Quds News Network, associated with Hamas and popular among young Palestinian Internet users, reported in June 2020: “The situation of Palestinians in Lebanon became known where they are prevented from the right to own property by virtue of Law 296/2001 related to non-Lebanese acquiring real property rights in Lebanon. However, when any foreigner wants to own real estate in Lebanon, the Real Estate Affairs asks him to prove that he does not have a record in the Directorate of Political Affairs and Refugees of the Lebanese Ministry of Interior, which registers Palestinian refugees. If this foreigner is of Palestinian origin and has been granted another nationality, he is not allowed to register the property under his name. Rather, this was not approved except in the past few years.” [Inhouse translation. The author is an Arabic native speaker] ORIGINAL SOURCE: .‫ املتعلق باكتساب غري اللبنانيني الحقوق العينية العقارية يف لبنان‬296/2001 ‫بات من املعلوم حالة الفلسطينيني يف لبنان من خالل منعهم من حق التملك بفعل القانون‬ ‫ تطلب منه الشؤون العقارية ورقة اثبات ان ليس لديه قيد يف مديرية الشؤون السياسية والالجئني التابعة لوزارة الداخلية‬،‫ولكن عندما يريد اي اجنبي ان ميتلك عقارا يف لبنان‬ ‫ بل هذا مل يكن معتمدا إال يف‬،‫ فإذا كان هذا األجنبي من اصل فلسطيني ومنح جنسية اخرى ال يسمح له بتسجيل العقار باسمه‬.‫اللبنانية والتي تسجل الالجئني الفلسطينيني‬ .‫السنوات األخرية املاضية‬ (Source: Quds Net News Agency: “A Palestinian doesn’t Own in Lebanon, Even if In Possession of Lebanese Nationality”, 24 June 2020) In the internationally recognised book they published in 2020, legal scholars Dr. Francesca Albanese [currently Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory] and Prof. Lex Takkenberg wrote: “Compared to Palestine refugees in other UNRWA ‘fields’ of operation, Lebanon (together with Gaza) has the largest proportion of camp residents. The living conditions in camps are dire. Those who do not stay in the camps mostly live in rented accommodation, even though rental rates are unaffordable for many. Those who could afford to buy property were stripped of that ability by a 2001 law, which has largely prevented Palestinian refugees from legally acquiring real property, as well as transferring or bequeathing previously owned property to their heirs. Palestinian refugees must therefore rely on informal agreements with Lebanese citizens who buy or keep property bought pre2001 on their behalf.” (Source: “Francesca P. Albanese and Lex Takkenberg/Oxford University Press, Palestinian Refugees in International Law”, May 2020, Chapter 3.3.3, Legal Status and Treatment, p. 276) In its submission as part of the Universal Periodic Review Third Cycle, the United Nations Country Team noted that: “Prior to 2001 Palestine refugees from Lebanon (PRL) were entitled to property ownership but with the adoption of Law 296/2001 Palestine refugees are prevented from legally acquiring, transferring immovable property in Lebanon. No positive legislative changes have taken place during the period under review to give PRL the right to own or transfer and register immovable property in Lebanon” (Source: OHCHR “Universal Periodic Review Third Cycle - Lebanon - UN Contributions: UNCT Lebanon, Background Document 1, 2020”, 26 March 2020) See also Section 11.1 further below on living conditions in camps. 10. Access to land, housing and shelter 113