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POSITION PAPER- Palesinian Refugees The Question of Palestine in the times of COVID-19: Position paper on the situation for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine and Syria (No.2) June 2020 This position paper is part of a series that the Global Network of Experts on the Question of Palestine (GNQP) is producing to document the impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on the Question of Palestine, by studying the effect of the pandemic on Palestinian refugees in the region. This brief focuses on Palestinian refugees residing in Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine and Syria. Purpose of the brief approximately 5.6 million are registered The brief shows how the COVID-19 as “Palestine refugees” with the United crisis is affecting Palestinian refugees Nations Relief and Works Agency for in Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine Palestinians in the Near East (UNRWA) in (Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine and 2 Jerusalem) and Syria. Following a general Syria. A smaller number was displaced background, the paper presents: when Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem · a summary of available regional in 1967; while these are not officially and country-specific facts that registered with UNRWA, some receive its indicate that COVID-19 is aggravating services on humanitarian grounds. Less the humanitarian conditions and than half of these refugees, including vulnerability of Palestinian refugees; their descendants, live in one of the 58 · a brief overview of applicable legal recognized refugee camps, while an obligations toward Palestinian unknown number live in urban and rural refugees; (camp) settings across the region. Many of · recommendations to ensure that these refugees have progressively moved the local, regional and international outside of the original host countries, response to COVID-19 takes into toward the Middle East and beyond. account Palestinian refugees’ specificities and ensures that the Palestinian refugees face varying degrees rights of this group are fully protected. of marginalizing laws and policies in their host countries. In Jordan,3 most Palestinian refugees have citizenship. However, ex- General background Gazan refugees, added to few hundred The majority of Palestinian refugees1, West Bankers4 do not have Jordanian numbering today over 7 million, originate national identity cards and are treated as from modern-day Israel, from which they provisional residents. The latter, together were displaced in 1947-9. Seventy years with Palestinian refugees from Syria on, most still live where they found refuge: (PRS) that crossed the border following Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine the Syria crisis,5 still lack access to most (Gaza Strip and West Bank, including rights and services, including the right to East Jerusalem) and Syria. Of those, work. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon6 1 live in extremely precarious conditions – in Jordan and Lebanon have indicated that especially PRS7 and Palestinian refugees camp residents are especially prone to ill- who do not hold a national ID (non-IDs) health, largely due to heightened poverty – as discriminatory legislation bars access levels and the lack of adequate water, to employment and government services, sanitation, hygiene and health (WASH) including public health care. In both infrastructure.11 Indeed, there is a strong Jordan and Lebanon, the situation for PRS social gradient to health for Palestinian that illegally crossed the borders remains refugees; poor Palestinians with low cause for concern in terms of visibility and educational attainment are typically more reception of assistance, and/or protection prone to disease.12 by humanitarian actors, including UNRWA. In occupied Palestine,8 Palestinian refugees, like other Palestinians in the As for health services, access to public area, experience challenges primarily health care differs across the region: in related to the Israeli occupation: territorial Jordan, Palestinian refugees have access fragmentation, including a 13-year- to public healthcare on the same level old blockade of Gaza and the threat of as citizens, with the exception of certain annexation of ample areas of the West groups like the ex-Gazans and PRS; in Bank; the annexation of East Jerusalem, in Lebanon, Palestinian refugees, as non- disregard of its internationally recognized citizens, cannot access the public health status; the continuous exposure of system; in occupied Palestine, refugees Palestinians, including minors, to assaults have access to the same public services by Israeli armed forces and Jewish as all Palestinians, but are affected by the settlers; a strangulated economy with restrictions and barriers imposed by the limited livelihood opportunities; severe occupation (lack of permit, checkpoints, curtailment of freedom of movement; the wall); in Syria, Palestinians used to the suppression of significant civil and have access to public health care, but political rights and freedom. In pre-war services have been significantly limited Syria,9 Palestinian refugees were treated due to the conflict. Insurance coverage almost on par with Syrian citizens (but differs across the region, ranging from precluded from acquiring citizenship), high coverage in occupied Palestine with a granted access to economic rights to extremely low coverage (5.5%) in 13 and social services. The ongoing conflict Lebanon. In all countries, the main has compromised their safety resulting health provider for Palestinian refugees is in internal displacement within Syria, and UNRWA, which provides comprehensive seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, primary health care (PHC) in all areas and abroad. through 143 Agency-run health centers. The Agency also operates a Hospitalization With specific regard to health, Palestinian Support Programme that covers part of refugees are prone to various forms the costs of secondary and tertiary care at of disease, common among poor, external facilities, depending on national deprived communities, including non- policies.14 Nevertheless, in practice, communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Palestinian refugees’ access to health diabetes, hypertension and cancer, as well care is often compromised by limited as common risk factors such as obesity, resources and capacity, low quality of tobacco smoking, and lack of physical care, and unaffordable co-payments.15 exercise.10 Studies of Palestinian refugees 2 An international responsibility Palestinian refugee camps. The camps Palestinian refugees remain a are notoriously crowded – with some of responsibility of the international the highest population densities in the community until their overall question is world – making enforcement of social settled in line with relevant UN resolutions distancing largely impossible. Inadequate (e.g. UNGA Res. 194 of 1948, 302 of 1949, WASH infrastructure is likely to contribute 2252 of 1967, and UNSC Res. 237 of to accelerated contagion and mortality 17 1967) and other norms of international rates. Pre-existing health conditions law. Although host countries bear the that the WHO considers high risk factors responsibility of ensuring the enjoyment for “Severe Illness” – especially NCDs of human rights of everyone living on such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic their territories, international protection respiratory diseases, diabetes and of Palestinian refugees is guaranteed by cancer are also pose a threat for many UNRWA on behalf of the international camp refugees. The social factor vis-à- community.16 As part of this responsibility, vis health in the refugee camps means UNRWA delivers core program and that the adverse effects of containment services to million refugees in the field strategies on Palestinian livelihoods can of education, health, and relief and social also be expected to negatively impact services. community resilience to the virus. Current regional facts: Palestinian Domestic and gender-based violence refugees and COVID-19 (GBV) At the time of COVID-19, an increased risk The COVID-19 pandemic in the region has of domestic and gender-based violence had a significant impact on Palestinian (GBV) has been indicated by women in refugees and exposed their hazardous vulnerable communities across the Arab and precarious living situation. Although region. Since the lockdown measures the number of confirmed cases has been were put in place in Jordan, Lebanon, small, the risk for a public health crisis occupied Palestine and Syria, UNRWA remains high, and the extended social, witnessed a drop in the identification of political and economic impact of the cases – 68 per cent decrease in the number crisis is expected to have long-lasting of GBV cases in Jordan – as monitoring consequences. In general, the following and reporting became difficult due to facts apply to the situation of Palestinian movement restrictions and the closure refugees in the region per sector: of GBV dedicated offices and services. More specifically, movement restrictions Health prevented women and girls from accessing essential services, including health, As of May 26, a total of 2,359 cases of protection, security and justice. COVID-19 have been registered across Jordan, Lebanon, occupied Palestine and Syria, of which 130 involve Palestinian Livelihood refugees. Anecdotal evidence suggests In line with the general consequences of that Palestinian refugees themselves responsive measures to the COVID-19 have been steadfast in adopting pandemic, many Palestinian refugees preventive measures to avoid the spread have
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