Jousour, issued by the LPDC represents an array of opinions and perspectives on issues pertaining Palestinian refugees affairs in Lebanon. It aims to expand the realm of rational dialogue between the Lebanese and Palestinians beyond stereotypes and dogmas while contributing to the development of common relationships in a positive and constructive manner. This supplement is distributed for free with An-Nahar, Al-Liwa’a, and The Daily Star. Special Supplement Issue 1, October 2018 The “Deal of the Century” and the UNRWA Crisis: Challenges and Choices Photo by: Haitham Mousawi Lebanon, an asylum 70 Years, from Compassion The “Other” Through Both To Refugees and Displaced To Controversy Pal. and Leb. Eyes Amine Gemayel Tarek Mitri, Abbas Zaki, Husein Abu Elnaml Pernille Dahler Kardel Ziad Sayegh Asaad Shaftari Hasan Mneymneh On “Bridges” Chairman of the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee e issue this newspaper supplement to introduce the Lebanese and attempting to break free of the chains of the past, including the Lebanese attitudes WPalestinian public opinion to the importance of examining the problematic toward the Palestinians and the Palestinian attitudes toward the Lebanese, under and complex difficulties the joint relations suffer from. These relations have a direct and honest approach. The writers – Lebanese and Palestinian – that extended over the span of this 70-year-old asylum, marked by much serenity and participated with us on this project rely on those fixed principles, considered overshadowed by misunderstanding and controversy that peaked in the years of the Civil War and bloody internal strife. The Lebanese and Palestinian people points of convergence for the Lebanese and Palestinians alike. Subsequently, we pay a high price for the thick tension and fanaticism that emerged. would like to thank all the writers who have contributed to this endeavour since the idea was conceived. We have come to realize that it is time to break the stereotypes of dealing with asylum issues and instead start building bridges of trust. This would occur through The data we put in the hands of our readers fulfil what the committee has the recognition of Lebanese sovereignty and laws and the provision of the socio- started since its inception in 2005, and ensure an objective and professional economic rights of the refugees, rights that would ensure them a decent life at management of the Palestinian issue in Lebanon on factual bases. We stress that least worthy of brothers who have been displaced from their lands by the Zionist movement and the Israeli state. They settled in our land, and some of them this supplement should be an open space for the discussion of various opinions contributed to the success and prosperity of Lebanon. The current political moment, impartially and rationally with the purpose of reaching consensus on Palestinian with its prevailing dangers, imposes this rapprochement, since their national refugee issues. We call on friends and readers to exercise their right to criticize, interests converge on the rejection of resettlement and insist on the right of return, correct, and offer suggestions. We are sure that this is the way to build prospects which, despite the international covenants and resolutions, remains threatened. for a healthy and sound relationship that would serve the interests of the two In this modest supplement, we will delve into the problem areas in the relations, brotherly peoples and nations. lpdc.gov.lb 2 Issue I, October 2018 Remembrance Lebanon: Home to Both Refugees and Displaced How to Save the Entity and the Individual President Amine Gemayel he entire world is struggling to cope with the Trepercussions of the crises of migration, asylum and displacement. Each crisis has its own causes and implications on the socio-economic, security and legal levels. However, the main discussions focus on how to protect the national identity of the host countries and grant the return of migrants, refugees and displaced persons to their countries of origin-preserve their own national identity and avoid tensions on the common interests between the displaced and the native citizens. The common interests, in my opinion, refer not only to the natural resources that provide a decent living, but also to the sound management of pluralism which is facing an entity quagmire because of the consequences Meeting for reconciliation, from the left: Nadim Abdelsamad, Abbas Zaki, Amine Gemayel, Akram Shehayyeb of migration, asylum and displacement. Therefore, we are experiencing more crises of identity than crises of So, what would the Lebanese do to face this crisis while impede the return of the displaced to Syria on the other. resources and interests. the promoting process of federalization projects and What is equally worrying is that the Lebanese state is Based on the above, here is Lebanon, after the 1948 the demographic and sectarian-confessional division distracted with secondary issues that cannot stand in the progresses in Syria, an issue which might lead to some Nakba and the resultant bloody violent confrontations face of existential dangers threatening Lebanon in its settlement at the expense of the rights of the Syrian to protect its sovereignty as well as to redirect the pluralism, as well as the rights of refugees and displaced people as well as the sovereignty of Lebanon? Palestinian resistance toward the real enemy. We dealt persons to return. Furthermore, there is no effort to with this issue boldly in the reconciliation meeting at These two supposed entitlements place Lebanon under mobilize national capabilities toward an agreement on the Kata’eb party headquarters on April 15, 2008. In this historical liability and in face of a sensitive challenge a unified national road map that would save the country. meeting held on April 13 anniversary, were with us those and a determination to struggle for the achievement of In our concern over the absence of the Lebanese involved in the war, including the Palestine Liberation justice. We have always sided with the Palestinian cause, government in localizing an effective diplomatic act, is the right of the Palestinian people to establish their state Organization and leaders from the Lebanese National there no horizon in the distance? on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Movement. Without a doubt, submission and neglect kill the open and the right of its refugees to return. We have always horizon hypothesis. But the painful experiences that Now, and after all the serious efforts the Lebanese- rejected injustice in Syria as well as terrorism and called Palestinian Dialogue Committee has exerted since its for the cessation of the war and respect for the Syrian we have been through in Lebanon, have bred in us a establishment in 2005 to restore the Lebanese-Palestinian people’s freedom and democracy choices. Our position determination to struggle for the protection of Lebanon, memory, we were surprised to hear about what has been is uncompromising when it comes to the right of the as a cause and message of civilization as described by called the “Deal of the Century”, which Washington displaced to return to Syria to safeguard their pluralistic Pope John Paul II. and others are working on; Anticipating, the spectre of social fabric and the national identity of their people. These same experiences confirm that the horizon is not a possible liquidation of the Palestinian cause, and once However, this clear vision of these entitlements, which blocked if we practice sound governance in at least the again the fear of imposing a settlement for Palestinian are theoretically in the custody of the Lebanese state, cases of refugees and displaced persons. This requires refugees in Lebanon. is still a slogan lacking a cohesive Lebanese strategy a national effort- call up to –develop common areas The adoption by the Israeli Knesset of the “National to achieve a national movement, as well as to launch a in which engagement in the establishment of public Jewish Law for Israel” may be an expression of the dynamic impact of this movement at the regional and policy structures will succeed rather than slide into the continued attempts to abort the right of return for those international levels. Lebanese diplomacy is failing, and whirlpools of conflict over quotas on the remnants of the who are deprived of their human and national rights. most likely, from what we are witnessing, has chosen country. populism instead of constructive wisdom. The common areas could be established by such clear What is Lebanon’s reaction to all the re-marketed programs as those carried in the past by the Lebanese solutions at the expense of the rights of the Palestinian The Arab world is an ally and friend to Lebanon. The Front and the National Movement. We have come together people as well as the sovereignty of Lebanon? international community is an ally and friend to Lebanon. These two alliances and friendships cannot bear fruit if and learned lessons from the mistakes of these programs, In addition to the continuing plight of Palestinian we confront them sometimes, and accuse them arbitrary placing Lebanon above all considerations, and we have refugees emerged the crisis of the displaced Syrians who at other times, or generally with failure and lack of vision. agreed to avoid these mistakes for the preservation of were forced to escape the war since 2011. Lebanon has the Lebanese people. When the common areas in the failed to manage and organize the arrival and presence Effective diplomacy is only achieved by understanding the conditional elements of the current historical case of Palestinian refugees and of displaced Syrians are of these people, to the extent that they were dispersed moment and the preventive preparedness for this or that established in a way that would mean a victorious return all over the Lebanese host communities, making their scenario.