Interview with a Palestinian Refugee in Lebanon
During my last mission to Lebanon to document the devastation caused by the Israeli bombings, I collected dozens of testimonies from Palestinian and Syrian refugees. This interview with Khalil, a Palestinian refugee, highlights the challenges and suffering faced by Palestinian refugees in Lebanon during the recent conflict with Israel. His story highlights how the war has exacerbated the pre-existing vulnerabilities of this community, which already lived in conditions of poverty, discrimination and marginalization. Khalil’s experience underlines the urgent need to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, not only to meet their immediate needs, but also to support them in the long term, offering them opportunities for education, work, and a dignified life. His testimony is a reminder of the responsibility of the international community to ensure the protection and respect of the rights of Palestinian refugees, and to work for a just and lasting solution to the conflict that has forced them into exile for over 76 years.
Dan: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me today. Could you tell me a little about your life before the recent conflict?
Khalil: My name is Khalil, I am 42 years old and I am a Palestinian refugee. I was born and raised in the Rashidieh refugee camp, near Tyre, in southern Lebanon. My family arrived in Lebanon in 1948, during the Nakba, when they were forced to leave Palestine. Since then, we have lived in this camp, like many other Palestinians, facing discrimination and hardship. Even before the war, life was difficult. Like many Palestinian refugees, I had trouble finding a stable job because of discriminatory laws that prevented us from accessing many professions. I worked as a carpenter and lived with my wife and our three children. We had a home, a community, and a semblance of normalcy, but living in the camp was already difficult, with overcrowding, lack of adequate sanitation, and the constant fear of violence.
Dan: How did you experience the escalation of hostilities? What was your personal experience during the conflict?
Khalil: It was terrifying. The Israeli bombing was incessant, day and night. The houses were shaking, the windows were shattering and the sky was filled with black smoke. We lived in constant fear of being hit. My children were terrified, they couldn’t sleep and they cried constantly. When we had to leave our homes, I feared that we were experiencing a new Nakba, that our camps would be destroyed and that we would never be able to return. After days of bombing near the camp, we were ordered to evacuate. It was like reliving the catastrophe my parents experienced in 1948. But with the war, the situation became unbearable.
Dan: Where did you go when you left the camp? Can you describe the living conditions in the center where you found refuge? What were the main challenges you faced there?
Khalil: We fled north, like thousands of others. We found refuge in a vocational training center. There we found other refugee families, both Palestinian and Lebanese, all fleeing the violence. The conditions were difficult, we were crammed into confined spaces, with little privacy and inadequate sanitation. Food was scarce and the fear of further attacks was ever-present. Many children, including mine, started having nightmares and difficulty concentrating.
Dan: How has the conflict-affected your daily life and that of your family?
Khalil: It destroyed everything. I lost my job, my house was damaged and we no longer have access to essential services like drinking water and health care. Many hospitals have been damaged by the bombing, so it is difficult to access medical care. My children cannot go to school because many have been damaged or turned into shelters. We live with the help of humanitarian workers, but it is not enough. Food, medicine, clothes… everything has become scarce and expensive.
Dan: How is your family coping with the trauma of this war? Have you noticed any changes in your children’s behavior?
Khalil: It is very difficult. My wife is constantly anxious and my children have nightmares and trouble sleeping. They have become more irritable and afraid of any loud noise. We try to support each other and give them a sense of security, but the truth is that we are all traumatized.
Dan: What are the main challenges that Palestinian refugees face in Lebanon, even beyond the current conflict?
Khalil: As Palestinian refugees, we are discriminated against in many aspects of life. We do not have the same rights as Lebanese citizens. There are many professions that we cannot practice and we cannot own property. This makes us even more vulnerable and dependent on aid.
Dan: How has this conflict worsened the situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, compared to the difficulties you already faced before?
Khalil: This conflict has exacerbated our vulnerabilities. Before we had at least a home, a job, and a community, now we have lost everything. We are even poorer, more marginalized, and more desperate.
Dan: Do you know if there are international organizations providing aid to refugees? What types of assistance have you received?
Khalil: Yes, there are several organizations that are helping us. UNRWA provides us with food and basic medical care. Other organizations are funding programs to provide housing, health care, and protection. We have received food, water, blankets, and hygiene kits. But we need much more, especially support to rebuild our homes and our lives.
Dan: What do you think of the ceasefire and its implications for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon?
Khalil: The ceasefire is a relief, but it doesn’t solve our problems. Many of us have lost everything and don’t know when or if they will be able to return to their homes. Even if we could go back, what would we find? Our houses are destroyed, and our camps are devastated. We need concrete help to rebuild our lives.
Dan: What are your main concerns right now?
Khalil: My main concern is the future of my children. How will they be able to grow up and have a decent future in these conditions? Insecurity, poverty, lack of opportunity… it’s a cycle that has been repeating itself for generations. I fear that my children will be condemned to live the same life of misery and discrimination that I have lived.
Dan: What are your hopes and fears for the future? What do you think will happen to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon?
Khalil: I hope that one day we will be able to return to our homeland, Palestine. But this conflict has made our situation even more precarious. I fear that we will be forgotten, abandoned to our fate.
Dan: What are your most urgent needs right now? How can humanitarian workers help?
Khalil: We need everything: food, water, medicine, shelter, education for our children. But we also need psychological support to overcome the trauma of this war. And above all, we need hope. I hope for a better future and one day be able to return to our homeland.
Dan: Thank you for sharing your story, Khalil. I wish you all the best for the future.
Khalil: Shukran. Thank you for giving voice to our suffering.
Dan ROMEO