31 oct 2013
Egyptian Authorities have detained 236 Syrian citizens and Palestinian refugees in Alexandria Governorate, including four families fleeing Syria's conflict since a month and a half month, preparing to deport them to Syria or to Lebanon, Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said. The Palestinian and Syrian detainees appealed the international community to end their plight especially that they were detained by Egyptian authorities since 45 days while they were trying to reach Europe on 17 September.
One of the detainees, held in Abu Qir Egyptian prison, has managed to contact the Action Group and informed them of the Egyptian intention to deport them to Syria or to Lebanon.
The Egyptian authorities have confiscated the detainees' papers as a prelude to deporting them, he added, pointing out to their inhuman and difficult detention conditions.
He called on Egyptian Authorities to give them refuge on Egyptian territories especially that they are no longer able to live in such detention conditions.
Three Palestinian families and one Syrian family were among the detainees in addition to 16 young men who were arrested while attempting to cross to Europe, the detainee clarified.
The detainees suffer very harsh conditions, where they cannot stay in Egypt after losing their money and papers and they cannot return to Syria due to the ongoing conflict.
One of the detainees, held in Abu Qir Egyptian prison, has managed to contact the Action Group and informed them of the Egyptian intention to deport them to Syria or to Lebanon.
The Egyptian authorities have confiscated the detainees' papers as a prelude to deporting them, he added, pointing out to their inhuman and difficult detention conditions.
He called on Egyptian Authorities to give them refuge on Egyptian territories especially that they are no longer able to live in such detention conditions.
Three Palestinian families and one Syrian family were among the detainees in addition to 16 young men who were arrested while attempting to cross to Europe, the detainee clarified.
The detainees suffer very harsh conditions, where they cannot stay in Egypt after losing their money and papers and they cannot return to Syria due to the ongoing conflict.
29 oct 2013
The Oslo-based UFree Network and the London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria released a joint report on victims of torture and enforced disappearances among Palestinian refugees in Syria. The report documented daily human rights violations against Palestinians in Syria's refugee camps during the period between August 2012 and September 2013, PNN quoted the human rights report.
It documented 105 executions and killings under torture in detention centers in violation of national, regional and international conventions.
The human rights report detailed cases of enforced disappearances to injured people from hospitals, arrests at checkpoints, cases of torture and collective executions to detainees during raids carried out by Syrian regime forces.
Moreover, the whereabouts of many cases of executions and torture of arrested detainees remained unknown, according to the report which also spotted cases of enforced disappearances carried out by groups affiliated to Syrian opposition.
The report questioned the fate of victims who were declared dead by the Syrian regime which refuses to hand their bodies over to their families.
UFree Network and the Action Group called on the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to disclose the identities, fate and whereabouts of all detainees and executed victims.
Both institutions also called upon international community and human rights organizations to bear their responsibilities towards the serious violations carried out in Syrian prisons and detentions centers.
UFree Network and the Action Group expressed their intention to submit their joint report to embassies, international human rights organizations and international media outlets, as well as the European Parliament and the Human Rights Council.
It documented 105 executions and killings under torture in detention centers in violation of national, regional and international conventions.
The human rights report detailed cases of enforced disappearances to injured people from hospitals, arrests at checkpoints, cases of torture and collective executions to detainees during raids carried out by Syrian regime forces.
Moreover, the whereabouts of many cases of executions and torture of arrested detainees remained unknown, according to the report which also spotted cases of enforced disappearances carried out by groups affiliated to Syrian opposition.
The report questioned the fate of victims who were declared dead by the Syrian regime which refuses to hand their bodies over to their families.
UFree Network and the Action Group called on the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to disclose the identities, fate and whereabouts of all detainees and executed victims.
Both institutions also called upon international community and human rights organizations to bear their responsibilities towards the serious violations carried out in Syrian prisons and detentions centers.
UFree Network and the Action Group expressed their intention to submit their joint report to embassies, international human rights organizations and international media outlets, as well as the European Parliament and the Human Rights Council.
A group of Palestinian refugees who fled to Gaza from the conflict in Syria have held a demonstration in front of the UNRWA's Gaza field office. They accused the UN agency of neglecting them and their suffering that it has not offered any support to them or job opportunities.
According to a spokesman for the 1,100 Palestinian refugees in Gaza, UNRWA did not even pay "one penny" for rents. "We have only received promises from UNRWA," said Atef Al-Imawi.
He called upon UNRWA to offer financial and humanitarian assistance to the refugees as a contingency solution "Without such support, we will be unable to provide for our basic needs."
According to a spokesman for the 1,100 Palestinian refugees in Gaza, UNRWA did not even pay "one penny" for rents. "We have only received promises from UNRWA," said Atef Al-Imawi.
He called upon UNRWA to offer financial and humanitarian assistance to the refugees as a contingency solution "Without such support, we will be unable to provide for our basic needs."
Three Palestinians, including a newborn baby girl killed on Monday as a result of the blockade imposed on al- Yarmouk refugee camp and the continues bombing in the conflict in Syria. The Working Group for Palestinians in Syria confirmed in a statement the death of the baby in the besieged camp where medical care is missing.
The group also reported the the death of Abdul Hadi al-Baradei in the same camp whose house was shelled in Mashrou’ neighborhood last Friday, in addition to Baraa’ Ayesh " from Dara’a refugee camp.
“Al-Yarmouk refugee camp was bombed," the statement confirmed, "a number of shells targeted the camp's main street, Loubieh and al-Waseem mosque’s surroundings which left a number of injuries,”
It pointed out that the detained poet Amjad Hussain Ebrahim from Handarat refugee camp was transferred to the central prison in Hama after three months of arrest.
The group also reported the the death of Abdul Hadi al-Baradei in the same camp whose house was shelled in Mashrou’ neighborhood last Friday, in addition to Baraa’ Ayesh " from Dara’a refugee camp.
“Al-Yarmouk refugee camp was bombed," the statement confirmed, "a number of shells targeted the camp's main street, Loubieh and al-Waseem mosque’s surroundings which left a number of injuries,”
It pointed out that the detained poet Amjad Hussain Ebrahim from Handarat refugee camp was transferred to the central prison in Hama after three months of arrest.
Turkish coastguards rescued Palestinian and Syrian refugees off the coast of Turkey at an early hour on Tuesday morning. The refugees were deceived by one of the smugglers who promised to take them from Turkey to Greece but left them in the middle of the route.
One of the passengers on board had appealed to the Action Group for Palestinians in Syria for help at dawn Tuesday.
He said that the boat with 28 Palestinian and Syrian refugees on board left from southern Izmir towards Greece but the owner of the boat, who took money from them in return for his “services”, left them in the middle of the way and took with him the boat’s engine.
He said that the passengers were worried about their fate but the Turkish coastguard arrived at the scene at an early hour and evacuated them.
A boat carrying around 400 Palestinian and Syrian refugees came under Libyan gunfire off the coast of Tripoli while en route to Italy on 11th October and the boat capsized in an area between Malta and Italy.
Two hundreds of those on board drowned or went missing and dozens of corpses are still in the capsized boat.
One of the passengers on board had appealed to the Action Group for Palestinians in Syria for help at dawn Tuesday.
He said that the boat with 28 Palestinian and Syrian refugees on board left from southern Izmir towards Greece but the owner of the boat, who took money from them in return for his “services”, left them in the middle of the way and took with him the boat’s engine.
He said that the passengers were worried about their fate but the Turkish coastguard arrived at the scene at an early hour and evacuated them.
A boat carrying around 400 Palestinian and Syrian refugees came under Libyan gunfire off the coast of Tripoli while en route to Italy on 11th October and the boat capsized in an area between Malta and Italy.
Two hundreds of those on board drowned or went missing and dozens of corpses are still in the capsized boat.
27 oct 2013
Action Group for the Palestinians in Syria said that two Palestinian refugees died on Saturday as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria. The group said in a press statement on Sunday that the child Qais Ajou died following the aerial shelling that targeted the vicinity of the Quds Mosque in Daraa camp, while Mahmoud Alaa El Din from the Yarmouk refugee camp died after eating, along his family members, wheat grains contaminated with rat poison.
It stated that several of mortar shells hit Daraa camp, causing no injuries, and pointed that the power outage has continued, along with the severe shortage of food, flour and fuel.
The group said that the residents in Qudsaya in Damascus started leaving the area, because the regular army closed all its entrances and exits and started imposing a blockade on the region.
It pointed out that despite the calm that has prevailed in the streets of the Yarmouk refugee camp, its inhabitants still suffer from the continuation of the blockade imposed by the regular army for the 104th day, and which led to the closure of most hospitals and bakeries, and the shortage of food, medicines and fuel.
Khan Sheikh Refugee camp on Saturday night was also exposed to bombing that caused material damages.
The Action Group the Palestinians in Syria reported that two refugees from the Aydin refugee camp in Homs were arrested by the Syrian security forces.
It stated that several of mortar shells hit Daraa camp, causing no injuries, and pointed that the power outage has continued, along with the severe shortage of food, flour and fuel.
The group said that the residents in Qudsaya in Damascus started leaving the area, because the regular army closed all its entrances and exits and started imposing a blockade on the region.
It pointed out that despite the calm that has prevailed in the streets of the Yarmouk refugee camp, its inhabitants still suffer from the continuation of the blockade imposed by the regular army for the 104th day, and which led to the closure of most hospitals and bakeries, and the shortage of food, medicines and fuel.
Khan Sheikh Refugee camp on Saturday night was also exposed to bombing that caused material damages.
The Action Group the Palestinians in Syria reported that two refugees from the Aydin refugee camp in Homs were arrested by the Syrian security forces.
26 oct 2013
Lebanese sources have reported that a Fateh member was shot and killed by unknown gunmen, in Ein Al-Hilwa refugee camp, in Sidon city, in Lebanon. Another member was injured in the attack.
The Annahar Lebanese Paper has reported that Mas’ad Hojeir, was shot by a live round that penetrated his eye and exited through the back of his head causing instant death.
The paper added a member of the Palestinian Security Force in the camp was also injured in the attack.
Dozens of Palestinian fighters flooded the streets and alleys of the camp after the attack took place.
The paper further stated that the attack might be connected to a previous shooting that targeted Hussein Tawil, former member of the Jund al-Sham armed group.
A week ago, Tawil suffered quadriplegia after being shot by several rounds of live ammunition in the neck and back while standing on the rooftop of his home in the camp.
Jund al-Sham is a group of Salafi gunmen operating in Lebanon since 2004, known for its rivalry with the Fateh movement of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. The group also opposes the Syrian government, and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Party.
The Annahar Lebanese Paper has reported that Mas’ad Hojeir, was shot by a live round that penetrated his eye and exited through the back of his head causing instant death.
The paper added a member of the Palestinian Security Force in the camp was also injured in the attack.
Dozens of Palestinian fighters flooded the streets and alleys of the camp after the attack took place.
The paper further stated that the attack might be connected to a previous shooting that targeted Hussein Tawil, former member of the Jund al-Sham armed group.
A week ago, Tawil suffered quadriplegia after being shot by several rounds of live ammunition in the neck and back while standing on the rooftop of his home in the camp.
Jund al-Sham is a group of Salafi gunmen operating in Lebanon since 2004, known for its rivalry with the Fateh movement of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. The group also opposes the Syrian government, and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Party.
24 oct 2013
A Palestinian from al-Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria sent an urgent appeal to save the lives of the Palestinians who have been besieged for more than 101 consecutive days. In the letter, they called on Hamas and all Palestinian factions to intervene immediately and to reveal their suffering to the rest of the world.
“We ask you to stand beside your besieged people, the camp is bombed by rockets that never used by Israel to bomb Gaza…every day scores of children and innocents killed by the barbaric shelling. The food or children milk were not allowed to enter the camp,” added the letter.
According to the writer of the letter, the people in the camp don’t find anything to eat; some of the them eat from the garbage.
“One child said I want to be killed to go Heaven, then I will be able to eat bread,” the letter said.
The camp reeled under a partial blockade for nine months, while it has been going through a full blockade for 101 days. The 20.000 refugees, mostly children, women and the elderly,who are not able leave the camp, are living in a catastrophic situation.
“We ask you to stand beside your besieged people, the camp is bombed by rockets that never used by Israel to bomb Gaza…every day scores of children and innocents killed by the barbaric shelling. The food or children milk were not allowed to enter the camp,” added the letter.
According to the writer of the letter, the people in the camp don’t find anything to eat; some of the them eat from the garbage.
“One child said I want to be killed to go Heaven, then I will be able to eat bread,” the letter said.
The camp reeled under a partial blockade for nine months, while it has been going through a full blockade for 101 days. The 20.000 refugees, mostly children, women and the elderly,who are not able leave the camp, are living in a catastrophic situation.
23 oct 2013
The UK will provide £15.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to deliver lifesaving support to Palestinian refugees both inside Syria and those who have once again had to flee to neighbouring countries as a result of the conflict, International Development Minister Alan Duncan announced Tuesday.
This will include food for over 155,000 people and cash assistance so a similar number can pay for essential supplies including clothes, food and bills for themselves and their families.
Of more than half a million Palestinian refugees whose families have sought safety in Syria over previous decades, more than fifty per cent have now been driven out of their homes by the fighting. This includes approximately 235,000 displaced inside Syria, as well as 47,000 who have moved into Lebanon and 9,000 into Jordan.
Alan Duncan said:
"Having fled once to seek safety in Syria, tens of thousands of Palestinians now find that they must again leave behind everything they know as a result of conflict, abandoning the new lives that they have struggled to build.
"Palestinians are increasingly caught in the middle of the fighting in Syria. Shelling and clashes are taking place around and even inside refugee camps and at least 44,000 refugees' homes have been damaged or destroyed.
"The double tragedy these refugees face must not become a forgotten footnote to this war. The support the UK has announced will help to save lives amongst some of the most vulnerable. At the same time, I hope it will send a clear message to Palestinian refugees caught up in the Syria crisis that the world has not forgotten their plight."
The announcement follows a meeting between Alan Duncan and UNWRA's Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi during a visit to the UK. Filippo Grandi said:
"UNRWA is grateful for DFID's long-standing support to Palestine refugees and in particular for its most recent contribution of £15.5 million. This contribution is critical to the Agency's ongoing response to the Syria Crisis.
"Funds will provide emergency assistance to Palestine refugees who remain in Syria and those who have fled to neighbouring countries."
The UK has already provided £5 million to UNRWA for food parcels, blankets, and hygiene packs to help over 100,000 Palestinian refugees both inside Syria and across the region.
This will include food for over 155,000 people and cash assistance so a similar number can pay for essential supplies including clothes, food and bills for themselves and their families.
Of more than half a million Palestinian refugees whose families have sought safety in Syria over previous decades, more than fifty per cent have now been driven out of their homes by the fighting. This includes approximately 235,000 displaced inside Syria, as well as 47,000 who have moved into Lebanon and 9,000 into Jordan.
Alan Duncan said:
"Having fled once to seek safety in Syria, tens of thousands of Palestinians now find that they must again leave behind everything they know as a result of conflict, abandoning the new lives that they have struggled to build.
"Palestinians are increasingly caught in the middle of the fighting in Syria. Shelling and clashes are taking place around and even inside refugee camps and at least 44,000 refugees' homes have been damaged or destroyed.
"The double tragedy these refugees face must not become a forgotten footnote to this war. The support the UK has announced will help to save lives amongst some of the most vulnerable. At the same time, I hope it will send a clear message to Palestinian refugees caught up in the Syria crisis that the world has not forgotten their plight."
The announcement follows a meeting between Alan Duncan and UNWRA's Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi during a visit to the UK. Filippo Grandi said:
"UNRWA is grateful for DFID's long-standing support to Palestine refugees and in particular for its most recent contribution of £15.5 million. This contribution is critical to the Agency's ongoing response to the Syria Crisis.
"Funds will provide emergency assistance to Palestine refugees who remain in Syria and those who have fled to neighbouring countries."
The UK has already provided £5 million to UNRWA for food parcels, blankets, and hygiene packs to help over 100,000 Palestinian refugees both inside Syria and across the region.
22 oct 2013
A Palestinian group in Syria on Monday identified five Palestinian refugees who have been killed recently in the ongoing unrest in Syria.
The Workforce for Palestinians in Syria said Amjad Ammouri, a refugee from the Yarmouk refugee camp in the Syrian capital Damascus, had succumbed to wounds he sustained from a shell which landed near a bakery in the camp.
The group added that four Palestinian refugees from the Killish family had died in the shipwreck off the Malta coast on October 11. The victims were identified in a statement as Husam Addin Killish, 40, as well as Wisam Killish, 39, his daughter Leen, 7, and his son Muhammad, 3.
The statement highlighted that about 200 Palestinian refugees were aboard the boat which capsized off the Malta coast fleeing the ongoing deadly conflict in Syria. Dozens died in the incident, while the others were saved by rescue teams after falling into the sea.
The Workforce for Palestinians in Syria said Amjad Ammouri, a refugee from the Yarmouk refugee camp in the Syrian capital Damascus, had succumbed to wounds he sustained from a shell which landed near a bakery in the camp.
The group added that four Palestinian refugees from the Killish family had died in the shipwreck off the Malta coast on October 11. The victims were identified in a statement as Husam Addin Killish, 40, as well as Wisam Killish, 39, his daughter Leen, 7, and his son Muhammad, 3.
The statement highlighted that about 200 Palestinian refugees were aboard the boat which capsized off the Malta coast fleeing the ongoing deadly conflict in Syria. Dozens died in the incident, while the others were saved by rescue teams after falling into the sea.
Hamas political bureau member Ezzat al-Risheq called on the PLO and PA and all Palestinian officials and factions to bear their moral and national responsibilities towards Yarmouk Refugee camp, warning of a humanitarian disaster in the camp. The Yarmouk Refugee Camp is still subjected to an unjust siege since more than 100 days as part of a systematic starvation policy, where 1500 houses were demolished in the camp, he said, pointing out to the food and fuel shortages and the electric power, communication and water cutout.
The leader in Hamas movement pointed out, in a statement published on his Facebook page, to a Fatwa allowing the families to eat cats and dogs in order to survive amid inhuman conditions.
Twenty thousand Palestinians suffer inhuman living conditions at Yarmouk Refugee Camp as it being subjected to daily shelling, he added.
He stressed the need to use all Arab, Islamic and international political relations to lift the siege on the camp.
He called on all Palestinian factions and leaders to discuss this disaster and to work for ending it.
The leader in Hamas movement pointed out, in a statement published on his Facebook page, to a Fatwa allowing the families to eat cats and dogs in order to survive amid inhuman conditions.
Twenty thousand Palestinians suffer inhuman living conditions at Yarmouk Refugee Camp as it being subjected to daily shelling, he added.
He stressed the need to use all Arab, Islamic and international political relations to lift the siege on the camp.
He called on all Palestinian factions and leaders to discuss this disaster and to work for ending it.
The "Euro-Mid" Observer for Human Rights, with headquarters in Geneva, has revealed that tens of bodies of Palestinian and Syrian refugees remain in the wreckage of a sunken ship off the Italian coast,despite it being more than ten days since the incident.
The Observer stated in a press statement on Tuesday (22/10),that contact made with the sinking ship indicates that there are still more than a hundred bodies stuck in the wreckage of the sunken ship at the bottom of the sea, with the Italian authorities failing in their role to recover the victims' bodies, claiming the need for a substantial financial budget estimated at thirty million Euros.
The human rights organization has accused the Italian authorities of "abject failure" in dealing with the sinking of the ship that carried Syrian and Palestinian refugees, considering the incident "Completely inconsistent with international standards and human rights principles. It further clearly demonstrates the failure of the Italian authorities in dealing with refugees humanely.
This calls into question the blatant discrimination for which the authorities in Rome bear responsibility for, deliberately not providing sufficient information about the incident, in addition to its refusal to take DNA samples from the unidentified victims' bodies.
"Euro-Mid" stated that the Italian authority's records "indicate that the bodies of the deceased must be dealt with respect, with Italian law stipulating the right to a dignified burial. Contrary to this however, the way in which such bodies have been buried and the failure to recover a large number of them constitutes a form of discrimination".
The Observer pointed out that the Italian authorities did not allow the surviving refugees of the sunken ship to participate in the burial of the victims in Malta or the Italian island of Lampedusa. Rather, the official authorities buried the victims, whose bodies had been recovered by divers at the beginning of the incident, in cemeteries around Sicily, failing to perform funerals and without affording the victims and their families their established right to perform a burial and observe religious rites.
A memorial service was held yesterday on Monday near the port of San Leon, southern Italy, to commemorate the tens of victims who drowned on two ships on the 3rd and 11th of October. 36 Palestinian refugees were among the victims who drowned on the 3rd of this month.
Furthermore, testimonies collected by the Euro-Mid Observer indicate that more than 450 people were onboard the ship that set out from Libya. Taking into consideration the number of bodies that have been retrieved so far, the number of missing victims amounts to over 200, consistent with the estimates made by the Maltese authorities.
"Euro-Mid" has stressed that what has happened "is a violation of the families' right to know the fate of their children, constituting one of the many violations against the human right to a family life and respect for the family. It further represents a violation of the right of every person to have legal personality from the registration of his birth until his the registration of death.
Consequent to this there are rights and obligations related to the deceased and surrounding family, particularly in regard to personal property."
The Observer stated in a press statement on Tuesday (22/10),that contact made with the sinking ship indicates that there are still more than a hundred bodies stuck in the wreckage of the sunken ship at the bottom of the sea, with the Italian authorities failing in their role to recover the victims' bodies, claiming the need for a substantial financial budget estimated at thirty million Euros.
The human rights organization has accused the Italian authorities of "abject failure" in dealing with the sinking of the ship that carried Syrian and Palestinian refugees, considering the incident "Completely inconsistent with international standards and human rights principles. It further clearly demonstrates the failure of the Italian authorities in dealing with refugees humanely.
This calls into question the blatant discrimination for which the authorities in Rome bear responsibility for, deliberately not providing sufficient information about the incident, in addition to its refusal to take DNA samples from the unidentified victims' bodies.
"Euro-Mid" stated that the Italian authority's records "indicate that the bodies of the deceased must be dealt with respect, with Italian law stipulating the right to a dignified burial. Contrary to this however, the way in which such bodies have been buried and the failure to recover a large number of them constitutes a form of discrimination".
The Observer pointed out that the Italian authorities did not allow the surviving refugees of the sunken ship to participate in the burial of the victims in Malta or the Italian island of Lampedusa. Rather, the official authorities buried the victims, whose bodies had been recovered by divers at the beginning of the incident, in cemeteries around Sicily, failing to perform funerals and without affording the victims and their families their established right to perform a burial and observe religious rites.
A memorial service was held yesterday on Monday near the port of San Leon, southern Italy, to commemorate the tens of victims who drowned on two ships on the 3rd and 11th of October. 36 Palestinian refugees were among the victims who drowned on the 3rd of this month.
Furthermore, testimonies collected by the Euro-Mid Observer indicate that more than 450 people were onboard the ship that set out from Libya. Taking into consideration the number of bodies that have been retrieved so far, the number of missing victims amounts to over 200, consistent with the estimates made by the Maltese authorities.
"Euro-Mid" has stressed that what has happened "is a violation of the families' right to know the fate of their children, constituting one of the many violations against the human right to a family life and respect for the family. It further represents a violation of the right of every person to have legal personality from the registration of his birth until his the registration of death.
Consequent to this there are rights and obligations related to the deceased and surrounding family, particularly in regard to personal property."
With Syria's civil war entering its third year, 2 million Syrians are displaced internally while nearly 730,000 are refugees living outside Syria. But for the half million Palestinian refugees who have lived in Syria since 1948, the situation is even more dire. Jordan denies them refuge as a matter of policy, and Lebanon restricts entry by a visa fee that Syrian refugees are not required to pay. Palestinians are running out of places to go. More than half of the Palestinian residents of Syria have been displaced, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the U.N. agency that provides aid and services to 5 million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
Speaking from Amman, UNRWA deputy commissioner Margot Ellis recounted a recent trip to Lebanon, where she visited a family of 23 Palestinians from Syria who lived in a two-room apartment in the Shatila refugee camp. They had to sleep in shifts because there wasn't enough room for everyone to lie down at the same time. Lebanon has allowed in more Palestinians from Syria than any other country, but it already hosted 490,000 refugees descended from those who fled in 1948. The vast majority is denied citizenship or the right to work in nearly every profession. They are dependent on international aid.
Jordan hosts the most Palestinian refugees, with 2 million from the generations displaced in 1948 and 1967, and their descendants. But while nearly 400,000 Syrians have found refuge in Jordan, the government has officially denied entry to the Palestinians amongst them since January, citing security concerns and the country's delicate demographic balance. The 9,200 Palestinian refugees from Syria who did cross the border into Jordan have been held in separate facilities, with local relatives prevented from obtaining their release.
In dozens of cases, Palestinians have been sent back to Syria, against the international norm of non-refoulement, or the principle of not sending refugees back to the place they are fleeing due to persecution or violence. There are hundreds of Palestinians on the Syrian side of the border who are prevented from entering Jordan.
Last year Israel offered West Bank residency to Palestinian refugees from Syria, but only on condition they renounce their claim to refugee status, meaning they would lose the right to UNRWA aid and give up their right of return. Palestinians have not taken Israel up on its offer.
The lack of options for Palestinian refugees in Syria brings one final status issue into stark relief. “Without a just resolution of the refugee question in the context of a negotiated Palestinian-Israeli settlement, Palestinians have nowhere to go,” Ellis said.
First flying from Damascus to Cairo, 1,500 Palestinians from Syria have gone to Gaza, where 67 percent of the standing refugee population of 1.2 million lives with food insecurity. About 6,000 Palestinians fleeing Syria have stayed in Egypt and less than 1,600 went to Turkey, both countries in which UNRWA has no mandate.
The only other alternative is to remain in Syria and risk being killed.
Where Palestinian refugees once lived in large concentrations in Syria, now there are “ghost camps,” Ellis said.
In December 2012, fighting spilled into the Yarmouk camp, a suburb south of Damascus and once home to the largest Palestinian refugee population in Syria. Since then, Ellis said, Yarmouk’s refugee population has declined by approximately 87 percent—from 160,000 to 20,000 or fewer.
Syrian government and opposition forces control different entry points and areas inside the camp, which has compelled Palestinians to flee. This phenomenon has been replicated in six of Syria’s 12 UNRWA camps, where staff members no longer have access.
In a single day in April, Ellis said 6,000 people were displaced from Ein el-Tal, an unofficial camp near Aleppo, after armed groups swept through the camp.
“If we can't get access, we can't help Palestinians in need,” she said.
Due to the conflict, this school year UNRWA has only been able to reach 55 percent of Palestinian students in Syria. Only 10 out of 23 healthcare facilities are operational, with six mobile health points added to adapt to the situation on the ground.
Palestinians call their displacement from Syria “a second Nakba,” Ellis said. The first Nakba, or catastrophe, was when Palestinians were displaced in 1948.
But whereas in 1948 Syria greeted them with open arms, today their adopted home is a war zone and the other Arab states that once welcomed them are turning them away.
If Israel and the Palestinians reached a two-state solution, there would be more flight options for Palestinian refugees, Ellis said. “Palestinians would know what their future held.”
Until that happens, Palestinian refugees are apt to be made refugees many times over.
Speaking from Amman, UNRWA deputy commissioner Margot Ellis recounted a recent trip to Lebanon, where she visited a family of 23 Palestinians from Syria who lived in a two-room apartment in the Shatila refugee camp. They had to sleep in shifts because there wasn't enough room for everyone to lie down at the same time. Lebanon has allowed in more Palestinians from Syria than any other country, but it already hosted 490,000 refugees descended from those who fled in 1948. The vast majority is denied citizenship or the right to work in nearly every profession. They are dependent on international aid.
Jordan hosts the most Palestinian refugees, with 2 million from the generations displaced in 1948 and 1967, and their descendants. But while nearly 400,000 Syrians have found refuge in Jordan, the government has officially denied entry to the Palestinians amongst them since January, citing security concerns and the country's delicate demographic balance. The 9,200 Palestinian refugees from Syria who did cross the border into Jordan have been held in separate facilities, with local relatives prevented from obtaining their release.
In dozens of cases, Palestinians have been sent back to Syria, against the international norm of non-refoulement, or the principle of not sending refugees back to the place they are fleeing due to persecution or violence. There are hundreds of Palestinians on the Syrian side of the border who are prevented from entering Jordan.
Last year Israel offered West Bank residency to Palestinian refugees from Syria, but only on condition they renounce their claim to refugee status, meaning they would lose the right to UNRWA aid and give up their right of return. Palestinians have not taken Israel up on its offer.
The lack of options for Palestinian refugees in Syria brings one final status issue into stark relief. “Without a just resolution of the refugee question in the context of a negotiated Palestinian-Israeli settlement, Palestinians have nowhere to go,” Ellis said.
First flying from Damascus to Cairo, 1,500 Palestinians from Syria have gone to Gaza, where 67 percent of the standing refugee population of 1.2 million lives with food insecurity. About 6,000 Palestinians fleeing Syria have stayed in Egypt and less than 1,600 went to Turkey, both countries in which UNRWA has no mandate.
The only other alternative is to remain in Syria and risk being killed.
Where Palestinian refugees once lived in large concentrations in Syria, now there are “ghost camps,” Ellis said.
In December 2012, fighting spilled into the Yarmouk camp, a suburb south of Damascus and once home to the largest Palestinian refugee population in Syria. Since then, Ellis said, Yarmouk’s refugee population has declined by approximately 87 percent—from 160,000 to 20,000 or fewer.
Syrian government and opposition forces control different entry points and areas inside the camp, which has compelled Palestinians to flee. This phenomenon has been replicated in six of Syria’s 12 UNRWA camps, where staff members no longer have access.
In a single day in April, Ellis said 6,000 people were displaced from Ein el-Tal, an unofficial camp near Aleppo, after armed groups swept through the camp.
“If we can't get access, we can't help Palestinians in need,” she said.
Due to the conflict, this school year UNRWA has only been able to reach 55 percent of Palestinian students in Syria. Only 10 out of 23 healthcare facilities are operational, with six mobile health points added to adapt to the situation on the ground.
Palestinians call their displacement from Syria “a second Nakba,” Ellis said. The first Nakba, or catastrophe, was when Palestinians were displaced in 1948.
But whereas in 1948 Syria greeted them with open arms, today their adopted home is a war zone and the other Arab states that once welcomed them are turning them away.
If Israel and the Palestinians reached a two-state solution, there would be more flight options for Palestinian refugees, Ellis said. “Palestinians would know what their future held.”
Until that happens, Palestinian refugees are apt to be made refugees many times over.
19 oct 2013
Hamas movement asked Lebanese security forces to stop razing homes in Dabbiya Palestinian refugee camp, east of Beirut. Hamas urgently asked Lebanese interior minister Marwan Sharbal to give his directives for an immediate halt to the demolition streak that started on Saturday morning.
The movement highlighted the difficult living conditions of those refugees, calling for dialog to find a solution to any problem.
The refugees said that Lebanese internal security forces deployed armored vehicles and bulldozers in the vicinity of the camp and started razing houses in the camp’s perimeter at the pretext they were built without permit.
The movement highlighted the difficult living conditions of those refugees, calling for dialog to find a solution to any problem.
The refugees said that Lebanese internal security forces deployed armored vehicles and bulldozers in the vicinity of the camp and started razing houses in the camp’s perimeter at the pretext they were built without permit.
18 oct 2013
Palestinian organizations based in Europe have appealed urgently to save thousands of Palestinians in Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Damascus, calling on all parties for opening a humanitarian corridor in order to ensure safe passage for people and basic supplies after 90 days of a continued siege. In a joint statement issued on Friday, 19 human rights organizations stated that twenty thousand Palestinians including children, women and elderly people suffer inhuman living conditions in Yarmouk Refugee Camp that is subjected to a partial siege since nine months and a complete blockade since 96 days.
The statement added that nearly 1500 houses were demolished in Yarmouk Refugee Camp due to the daily shelling. The refugee camp suffers food and fuel shortages, in addition to the continued electric power, communication and water cutout.
In a dangerous and catastrophic precedent, an Imam in the camp has issued a Fatwa allowing the families to eat cats and dogs in order to survive amid inhuman conditions.
The European organizations called upon the UN to bear its responsibilities through its bodies dealing with refugees’ issue mainly the UNRWA and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The statement also called on the Red Cross to lend a helping hand to the camp especially that it is on the verge of famine.
The undersigned organizations condemned the UN bodies' inability to provide the refugees with the required and necessary aid during the last months, calling on the Syrian government, the PLO and the Palestinian factions in particular, and the Arab League to bear their responsibilities towards this disaster.
The statement stressed that the starvation policy is a moral, humanitarian, and national crime, appealing to the international community and the free world to stand by the Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk camp especially that 634 Palestinians, nearly one-third of the total number of victims, were killed in the refugee camp.
The organizations stressed the need to prosecute those responsible for starving and terrorizing the families as a collective punishment prohibited by the international law.
The statement added that nearly 1500 houses were demolished in Yarmouk Refugee Camp due to the daily shelling. The refugee camp suffers food and fuel shortages, in addition to the continued electric power, communication and water cutout.
In a dangerous and catastrophic precedent, an Imam in the camp has issued a Fatwa allowing the families to eat cats and dogs in order to survive amid inhuman conditions.
The European organizations called upon the UN to bear its responsibilities through its bodies dealing with refugees’ issue mainly the UNRWA and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The statement also called on the Red Cross to lend a helping hand to the camp especially that it is on the verge of famine.
The undersigned organizations condemned the UN bodies' inability to provide the refugees with the required and necessary aid during the last months, calling on the Syrian government, the PLO and the Palestinian factions in particular, and the Arab League to bear their responsibilities towards this disaster.
The statement stressed that the starvation policy is a moral, humanitarian, and national crime, appealing to the international community and the free world to stand by the Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk camp especially that 634 Palestinians, nearly one-third of the total number of victims, were killed in the refugee camp.
The organizations stressed the need to prosecute those responsible for starving and terrorizing the families as a collective punishment prohibited by the international law.
17 oct 2013
The Action group for the Palestinian refugees in Syria stated that 1607 Palestinian refugees killed since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution and till September 30. In a detailed report, the group said that 1088 refugees have been killed since the beginning of the revolution till the 30th of September after their camps were targetted.
The Palestinian refugee camps have been subjected during the ongoing conflict in Syria to daily shelling and bombing, leading to hundreds of victims.
The Action Group pointed out that 105 martyrs have been killed under torture in the Syrian regime's prisons.
The report issued on Thursday also noted that the Palestinian refugees were also targeted out of their camps where 519 Palestinian refugees were killed most of them in Damascus.
The Action Group stated that 657 Palestinians were killed due to the shelling to their camps and 41 Palestinians were shot dead during clashes between the regime army and Free Army.
The Palestinian refugee camps have been subjected during the ongoing conflict in Syria to daily shelling and bombing, leading to hundreds of victims.
The Action Group pointed out that 105 martyrs have been killed under torture in the Syrian regime's prisons.
The report issued on Thursday also noted that the Palestinian refugees were also targeted out of their camps where 519 Palestinian refugees were killed most of them in Damascus.
The Action Group stated that 657 Palestinians were killed due to the shelling to their camps and 41 Palestinians were shot dead during clashes between the regime army and Free Army.
16 oct 2013
Local charity society Jannat Al Naeem celebrated Eid Al Adha on Monday by distributing new clothes to children at the Palestinian refugee camp in Irbid, some 80km north of the capital.
The society also gave out eideya, money traditionally given to children or female relatives in Eid, to 250 underprivileged families at the camp.
This was originally posted on The Jordan Times.
The society also gave out eideya, money traditionally given to children or female relatives in Eid, to 250 underprivileged families at the camp.
This was originally posted on The Jordan Times.
Palestinian official sources affirmed that 212 Palestinians and Syrians survived drowning after the ship they were aboard sank off the Maltese and Italian coasts a few days ago. The sources added that 146 survivors were taken in by Malta and the 66 others were allowed to stay in Italy, noting that the bodies of 32 refugees were pulled out of the sea after the sinking incident.
For its part, the Hamas Movement called on the international community to investigate the incident and safeguard the rights of the Palestinians in the countries of refuge.
Hamas also demanded the countries of refuge to give the Palestinians fleeing the Syrian war good treatment and a decent life, and urged the UN, the Arab League and the organization of Islamic cooperation to assume their responsibilities towards the Palestinian refugees.
For its part, the Hamas Movement called on the international community to investigate the incident and safeguard the rights of the Palestinians in the countries of refuge.
Hamas also demanded the countries of refuge to give the Palestinians fleeing the Syrian war good treatment and a decent life, and urged the UN, the Arab League and the organization of Islamic cooperation to assume their responsibilities towards the Palestinian refugees.
Palestinian government in Gaza Strip stressed its readiness to receive the Palestinian refugees fleeing from the war in Syria, after a boat carrying hundreds of them capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. Dozens of Palestinian refugees drowned in the incident off Malta's coast on Friday, while 15 other Palestinians drowned two days earlier in a similar incident off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt.
"We welcome them in their home and among their brothers in the Gaza Strip," the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ghazi Hamad said on Monday in a press conference.
He called on the Arab states not to close their doors before the Palestinian refugees, and work seriously to offer help to them.
Hamad also called upon the United Nations and UNRWA to bear their responsibilities towards the Palestinian refugees' suffering, and to pressure refugee host countries to respect the international law and agreements they have signed.
"We are surprised at the inability of countries where fleeing Palestinians seek refuge to rescue them and to offer help to them," Hamad said.
He added that the Palestinian refugees' plight should draw the attention of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, which should exert all efforts possible to end their suffering.
The Palestinian official condemned firing on the Palestinian refugees by the Libyan navy, calling for an investigation into the incident.
"We welcome them in their home and among their brothers in the Gaza Strip," the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ghazi Hamad said on Monday in a press conference.
He called on the Arab states not to close their doors before the Palestinian refugees, and work seriously to offer help to them.
Hamad also called upon the United Nations and UNRWA to bear their responsibilities towards the Palestinian refugees' suffering, and to pressure refugee host countries to respect the international law and agreements they have signed.
"We are surprised at the inability of countries where fleeing Palestinians seek refuge to rescue them and to offer help to them," Hamad said.
He added that the Palestinian refugees' plight should draw the attention of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, which should exert all efforts possible to end their suffering.
The Palestinian official condemned firing on the Palestinian refugees by the Libyan navy, calling for an investigation into the incident.
Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya called on the Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria and Egypt by sea to come to the Gaza Strip instead of risking their lives. "On this day of the holy Eid Al-Adha, I'd like to say to the Palestinian refugees who are fleeing from Syria to the Egyptian territories or anywhere, to those who may die today over the sea that we are your brothers, kinsfolk and friends, so stop risking yourselves and the lives of your children. If you found no land to take you in, Gaza, despite the siege, are always big enough for you," premier Haneyya stated following the Eid prayers on Tuesday in Gaza city.
"On behalf of your people and brothers in Gaza, I call upon and urge all the Palestinians who want to cross the sea for asylum and shelter to come to stay in Gaza, which is part of the blessed Palestinian land," Haneyya added.
The premier also expressed his hope and optimism that the Palestinian people would triumph against the occupation and would be back to their homes and land sooner or later.
"On behalf of your people and brothers in Gaza, I call upon and urge all the Palestinians who want to cross the sea for asylum and shelter to come to stay in Gaza, which is part of the blessed Palestinian land," Haneyya added.
The premier also expressed his hope and optimism that the Palestinian people would triumph against the occupation and would be back to their homes and land sooner or later.