The Protocol’s silence on the matter of naturalisation leaves an opening for Syria to allow Palestinians to naturalise.70 43. Resistance to naturalisation has been justified on the basis of protecting the Palestinian ‘right to return’ to the original homeland in historic Palestine.71 However, this justification seems hollow in view of increased vulnerabilities due to the conflict, and among the wider diaspora. Further, many Palestinians from Syria who have been displaced outside the region are accessing naturalisation in their countries of current residence, including many European states. There is no indication that accessing European or other citizenship has any detrimental impact on the right to return or other rights of Palestinian refugees of Syria, suggesting that Syria should re-consider its own position in resisting the naturalisation of Palestinians living long-term in the country. Situation of Palestinian Refugees 44. Prior to 2011, there were some 560,000 Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA in Syria. There were 12 Palestinian camps in Syria: 9 administered by UNRWA and 3 considered ‘unofficial’. Yarmouk camp, the largest Palestinian camp in Syria and ‘the capital of the Palestinian diaspora’, was home to roughly 160,000 Palestinian refugees before the war.72 45. Since the conflict, most Palestinian refugees remaining in Syria have been internally displaced.73 Moreover, in 2019 UNRWA estimated that 120,000 Palestinian refugees have fled Syria since the outbreak of the war, to Lebanon and Jordan, but also Turkey and beyond to Europe.74 Since 2014-15, the Syrian government has also restricted Palestinians’ freedom of movement within Syria, meaning that many Palestinians seeking to flee the country have often had to rely on smugglers to even get to a border.75 46. Following air strikes on Yarmouk in 2012, around 90% of the Palestinians living there were forced to leave their homes and houses, an event reminiscent of the Nakba in 70 Article 1 states that “Whilst retaining their Palestinian nationality, Palestinians currently residing in the land of ... have the right of employment on par with its citizens”. Articles 2-5 relate to freedom of movement for Palestinians. 71 UN Resolution 194(III) states that “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date”. UN General Assembly, ‘194 (III). Palestine - Progress Report of the United Nations Mediator,’ A/RES/194 (11 December 1948), available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4fe2e5672.html. 72 Tom Rollins, “Syria’s Palestinians: A new Nakba,” March 2021, p. 10, available at: https://mcusercontent.com/fbd4f0a24885246c0518468cc/files/81c1153a-7b33-4e9a-9f7179676ff00f19/Syria_s_Palestinians_1.pdf. 73 Tom Rollins, “Syria’s Palestinians: A new Nakba,” March 2021, p. 12, available at: https://mcusercontent.com/fbd4f0a24885246c0518468cc/files/81c1153a-7b33-4e9a-9f7179676ff00f19/Syria_s_Palestinians_1.pdf. 74 Pierre Krähenbühl, “Palestine Refugees in Syria: A Tale of Devastation and Courage,” 14 March 2019, available at: https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/features/palestine-refugees-syria-tale-devastation-and-courage. 75 Heide-Jørgensen and Mette Lundsfryd, ‘A World of Checkpoints: Border Crossing Experiences of Palestinian Refugees from Syria in Lebanon’, Lund University Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, 2014. 14