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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 13:20 17/10/2007 Amnesty Int'l slams Lebanon for plight of Palestinian refugees By The Associated Press The Lebanese government must do more to alleviate the miserable conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon who are treated like "second-class citizens", Amnesty International said on Wednesday. In a report "Exiled and Suffering: Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon", the L Advertisement ondon-based human rights group said the refugees face discrimination in education, jobs, health care and housing. More than half the 400,000 registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon since their families fled their homes after the creation of Israel in 1948 live in 12 cramped, squalid and often unsanitary camps scattered across the country. "The continuing restrictions on Palestinian refugees, which effectively render them the status of second-class residents, continue to be little short of a scandal and they should be lifted without further procrastination or delay," Amnesty said. "The appalling social and economic conditions of those refugees demonstrate forcefully the failure of successive governments in Israel, Lebanon, other regional states and the wider international community to respect and protect their rights, and to find a sustainable and just solution to their plight over a period that now stretches to almost six decades." Lebanese officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Restrictions on Palestinians in Lebanon were originally designed to deter them from settling permanently in a country which feared the presence of the mainly Sunni Muslim refugees would upset its delicate internal sectarian balance. Palestinian guerrillas played a major role in Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. Armed factions still roam refugee camps which have long been off limits to Lebanese security forces. Despite a fourfold increase in the registered refugee population, the land area allocated to the camps has barely changed. Amnesty describes it as the "ghetto-ization" of Palestinians. "The residents have been forbidden by law from bringing building materials into some camps, preventing the repair, expansion or improvement of homes," the report said. "Those who have defied the law have faced fines and imprisonment as well as demolition of the new structures." The report also called on Lebanon to make it easier for Palestinian refugees to find employment. Palestinians were barred from about 70 job categories until 2005, when the Labour Ministry reduced the number to 20. Its decision has not been passed into law. It also called on the government to regularise the status of Palestinian refugees who lack identity papers because they are not registered with the Lebanese authorities or with UNRWA, the U.N. agency that cares for the refugees. Amnesty urged donors to respond to the Lebanese government's call for funds to rebuild Nahr al-Bared camp after a 15-week battle between the army and Islamist militants destroyed much of it and displaced most of its refugees earlier this year. Bookmark to del.icio.us In Dr. King's shadow When Rice talks of a Palestinian state, she sees the black civil rights struggle in the South. Haredi satire How did Shas react upon seeing a cartoon in Degel HaTorah's official publication?   1.   Dear Lebanon 12:16  |  WWACD 17/10/07   2.   The usual suspects 12:18  |  Natallie Durson 17/10/07   3.   This just in: Lebanon responds: 12:18  |  WWACD 17/10/07   4.   Jihaaaaad! 12:22  |  Lakshmi 17/10/07   5.   #2 Nothing wrong with being pro-Israel Nat 12:47  |  WWACD 17/10/07   6.   It was a long time coming Amnesty 12:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/10/07   7.   rfugees 12:59  |  zeew 17/10/07   8.   Apartheid exemplified here 13:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/10/07   9.   End the Israeli occupation; bring refugees to the WB 13:16  |  A Bethlehemite 17/10/07   10.   Israels LOANS FROM USA ARE PAID 13:25  |  Petra 17/10/07   11.   You`re wrong Natalie Durson! 13:35  |  Meir Moses 17/10/07   12.   #1 wwacd 13:43  |  not your business 17/10/07   13.   Philistines Start Wars With Their Hosts EVERYWHERE 13:45  |  Yishai Kohen 17/10/07   14.   # 4, Natalie Durson 13:45  |  Lebanese 17/10/07   15.   wwacd#3 13:47  |  john 17/10/07   16.   Lakshmi #4 13:50  |  David 17/10/07   17.   better victims than guilty! 13:51  |  northern neighbor 17/10/07   18.   #5 wwacd 13:51  |  Tom 17/10/07   19.   ITS A MIRRICLE 13:56  |  zionist forever 17/10/07   20.   Margie my dear neighborette 14:05  |  northern neighbor 17/10/07   21.   #8 Margie in TA 14:46  |  Boycott 17/10/07   22.   Uh OH, 14:49  |  Lynn 17/10/07   23.   Dear Northern Neighbour 14:50  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/10/07   24.   Margie, based in the EU. 14:50  |  Lynn 17/10/07   25.   Sorry John #15 14:52  |  WWACD 17/10/07   26.   northern neighbor 14:55  |  Lynn 17/10/07   27.   DURSON IS RIGHT:USA MUST SPEND A FEW NICKELS IMPORT 2 MLN PAL REF 15:20  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 17/10/07   28.   To Natalie Durson - lying again 15:24  |  Peter 17/10/07   29.   This is exactly what israel wants 15:26  |  sam 17/10/07   30.   # 21 Boycott 15:31  |  Lynn 17/10/07   31.   ANXIOUSLY waiting for one useful idiot to condemn Arab actions 15:33  |  PETER SM 17/10/07   32.   northern neighbour gets it backward 15:34  |  Rory 17/10/07   33.   # 4 lakshmi (?) 15:35  |  Lynn 17/10/07   34.   Lebanon Doesn`t Want The Palestinians Either 15:36  |  Bill Foonman 17/10/07   35.   #9 Betlehemite: does Pal-arrogance have any limits? 15:40  |  Hard Talk 17/10/07   36.   unwelcome 15:45  |  mazen 17/10/07   37.   #20 N-Neighbour: Israel is NOT responsible for the choices 15:47  |  Hard Talk 17/10/07   38.   #30 Lynn 16:35  |  Boycott 17/10/07   39.   #36 Mazen: then send them to Syria 17:56  |  Hard Talk 17/10/07

Today Online Syria: We never said nuclear facility was target of IAF strike Responses: 107 Jewish rightist: 'Finish Hitler's work, kill Ashkenazi Jews' Responses: 115 Shragai: If we divide J'lem, Jews can forget the Western Wall Responses: 110 Rosner: Announcing Mideast summit was a mistake Responses: 35 Study: Israel is biggest polluter in eastern Mediterranean Responses: 64 Wife of abducted soldier: Israel did not receive info on troops Responses: 57 Rosner's Domain * Announcing Annapolis was a mistake * Guest: The greatest threat to the future of Israel is the status quo * WTR: Israelis use U.S. Clause to let kids become Americans * And also faired better than Giuliani on Iran (The Israel Factor) More Headlines 15:42 IDF soldier killed by Palestinian fire in Gaza Strip 17:51 PA Chair: Time running out to prepare agreement with Israel 16:55 PM Olmert to hold talks with Putin in Moscow on Thursday 16:50 Wife of abducted soldier: Israel did not receive info on soldiers 16:47 Chief Rabbi Amar to demand stricter conversions during U.S. visit 17:42 Barenboim: New Wagner staging would make Hitler 'turn in grave' 16:13 Peres: Government has no intention of dividing Jerusalem 13:58 Syria denies it confirmed target of IAF strike was nuclear facility 14:44 U.S. National Security Advisor to visit Israel for first time next week Previous Editions Select Day 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 05 oct 04 oct 03 oct

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