Yesterday, Saturday, the National Federation of Trade Unions and Employees in Lebanon, which includes about 40 unions, rejected a decision to stop allowing Palestinian refugees to practice some free professions in the country.
In early February, the State Consultative Council (administrative judiciary) decided to stop allowing Palestinian refugees in Lebanon to practice free professions, which was approved by the Lebanese Minister of Labor, Mustafa Bayram, last November.
The union's statement stated, "Rejecting the decision of the State Shura Council, and solidarity with the Minister of Labor (Mustafa Bayram) and the Palestinian brothers in the camps," referring to the sacrifices and blood the resistance made by the Palestinian people to restore and liberate their occupied land.
On a parallel level, the "Hamas" movement condemned in the strongest terms - in a statement - "the decision of the State Council, which raises fundamental questions related to its background and timing, as well as harms Lebanese-Palestinian relations."
The statement quoted an unnamed official source in the movement as saying: "Any effort that aims to improve the conditions of the Palestinian refugees and enable them to live in dignity is a commendable effort, and it cannot contribute to the settlement of the Palestinian refugees that are absolutely rejected by them before they are rejected by the Lebanese."
The source called on the "Lebanese government to reverse this unjust decision, which contravenes human rights and international treaties," according to the same statement.
Last December, the head of the Maronite League, former MP Neamatallah Abi Nasr, challenged the Labor Minister's decision before the State Consultative Council, considering it a "disguised settlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon."
The number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated at 200,000, according to United Nations estimates, and most of them are distributed among 12 camps and other residential areas in the country.