7.7.2. Treatment by state, society and other actors

7.7.2. Treatment by state, society and other actors

Palestinian refugees, mostly of Sunni Muslim faith,818 have long faced structural discrimination in Lebanon.819 Unlike in Jordan and Syria,820 under Lebanese law821 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon were barred from 39 types of jobs822 involving higher wages,823 excluded from state-provided healthcare and education824 and banned from owning immovable property.825 Palestinians are subjected to significantly harsher movement restrictions than Lebanese citizens,826 as Lebanese security services monitored movements of people into and from refugee camps827 and often restricted access. Refugees were vulnerable to exploitation at work and sex trafficking.828

Refugees faced heightened risks to their well-being.829 Palestinian refugees, including children, were affected by significant exposure to various forms of violence, both inside and outside their own communities. In refugee camp settings marked by overcrowding, lack of privacy830 and an absence of governance, justice and law enforcement mechanisms,831 high rates of gender-based violence (GBV) were reported, including physical assault and sexual and domestic violence. Children were vulnerable to physical and psychological violence such as aggressive enforcement of discipline by parents and instances of bullying.832 Despite the reported prevalence of GBV and violence against children, victims were often reluctant to seek help due to stigma and concerns about lack of confidentiality and potential reprisals.833

When the escalation of Israeli aerial attacks in autumn 2024 triggered mass displacement, some IDP shelters refused to accept Palestinian or Syrian families, giving priority to Lebanese citizens, fearing tensions or overcrowding. Moreover, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) quoted a Palestinian woman newly displaced to Mount Lebanon as saying that aid organisations at times distributed food, clothes and money in an unequal manner, often prioritising Lebanese families.834