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Women walk on a street in the Palestinian refugee camp Burj al-Barajneh, south of the capital Beirut, on September 1, 2018. AFP / Anwar Amro

Lebanon has been shaken by a mass protest movement since October 17th. Tens of thousands of Lebanese are demonstrating throughout the country demanding economic and social reforms and the departure of their leaders.

► What look do Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have on the revolt of the Lebanese?

The Palestinian refugees from the camp at Bourj el-Barajneh, near Beirut, whom we visited, are taped in front of their television screens, which broadcast live and continuously the demonstrations in the different Lebanese regions. The social and economic demands raised by the Lebanese protesters give them hope that they themselves will be able to improve their precarious living conditions if the demonstrators are satisfied.

Palestinian refugees are subject to numerous restrictions by Lebanese laws: 72 trades are forbidden to them and they do not have access to the right to property. And, therefore, can not have their children inherit their real estate.

Thus, after the failure of their claims this summer, Palestinian refugees are expecting a lot from the current social movement. They hope that a new page will be opened in the refugee status that they drag for 71 years, in case the power yielded to the demands of the protesters.

► Does the camp population participate in the demonstrations alongside the Lebanese ?

Camp residents, association leaders and humanitarian activists alike say that refugees avoid mingling with demonstrations lest their presence be used as a pretext to minimize the importance of mobilizing the Lebanese.

They are also concerned that Palestinians are unjustly involved in incidents in order to discredit the protesters. This almost happened in the city of Tire in southern Lebanon.

This does not prevent Lebanese demonstrators from sometimes waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans in favor of Palestine. Residents of the camp of Ain al-Helweh paid tribute by video interposed, filming a large rally organized in this camp, in support of the Lebanese claims.

► In terms of security, have the measures in the camps been strengthened?

All Palestinian organizations present in Lebanon, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, formed a joint security committee at the beginning of the week in all 12 camps in the country. The objective is to centralize the security authority to better protect the camps in case of unforeseen incidents or overflowing.

Palestinian officials met fear that Lebanon will sink into chaos, opening up dangerous prospects for the 200,000 Palestinian refugees still in the cedar country.