Since 1948, around 480,000 Palestinian refugees have been registered in Lebanon. More than half of them live in 12 overcrowded camps that were meant to provide temporary housing. 70 years later, hundreds of thousands of stateless Palestinians still live in dilapidated structures.
Palestinian camps began forming in Lebanon during the Nakba in 1948, following the arrival of tens of thousands of refugees from different areas in Palestine. Initially, refugees lived in tents as temporary residences, awaiting their return to Palestine. However, with time, they began to construct more permanent structures within the allocated areas.
The number of refugees has doubled since 1948, now estimated at 483,375 people according to UNRWA statistics. However, these numbers are declining due to permanent migration from the camps. Currently, 280,000 people reside in 12 officially registered camps, while the remainder live in various residential communities established outside these camps, such as Al-Ma’shuq, Shabreha, and Al-Qasimia.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is primarily responsible for providing health, education, and social services to camp residents, as these services are not covered by the Lebanese State Services Department. However, UNRWA’s services have declined recently due to financial deficits. Despite this, civil society institutions and the Palestine Liberation Organization offer some assistance in critical cases when funding permits.
In response to the war in Syria, approximately 42,000 Palestinian-Syrian refugees sought refuge in Lebanon since 2011. They are distributed among Palestinian camps and communities and primarily rely on UNRWA. However, like Lebanese Palestinians, they face deprivation of civil rights in Lebanon.
Palestinian Camps in Beirut
Burj El Barajneh – Established in 1948
Burj El Barajneh camp was established in 1948. It is located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, near the international airport. The camp was established by the International Red Cross and is inhabited by approximately 16,000 people. Additionally, there are about six thousand people residing in the vicinity of the camp.
The unemployment rate in Burj El Barajneh camp is high, with more than sixty percent of its children living below the poverty line. Those who are employed primarily work in the construction sector, own shops, stalls, and vehicles, or are employed by UNRWA. Some are also full-time members of Palestinian factions.
The camp suffers from overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and narrow roads, which have become pathways so narrow that only two people can pass through at a time. Although a desalination plant was initiated with a donation from the Swiss Agency (SDC), the project remains incomplete, and residents continue to face difficulties in accessing domestic water.
Electricity poses a significant danger in the camp, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people due to accidental electrocutions caused by randomly stretched electrical wires throughout the camp. These wires often intertwine with water pipes along the walls, exacerbating the risk.
Mar Elias – Established in 1952
Mar Elias camp was established in 1952. It is located to the southwest of the capital, Beirut, and was established by the Mar Elias Order to accommodate Palestinian refugees from the Galilee region during the Nakba. Currently, approximately 330 families, or around 1,650 people, reside in the camp.
Mar Elias camp is characterized by security and calmness. Unlike some other Palestinian camps, there is no visible armed presence, and the Lebanese army is not stationed around it. These factors distinguish the Mar Elias camp from others in the region.
The camp is considered a political and media hub for Palestinians, hosting centers and headquarters for many Palestinian factions. Additionally, Mar Elias camp is home to numerous social institutions serving the Palestinian community.
Shatila – Established in 1959
Shatila camp was established in 1949, initially housing around 8,500 people. However, the camp suffered extensive damage during the Zionist invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and was repeatedly targeted during the Lebanese Civil War, resulting in significant destruction of property.
The provision of services in Shatila is inadequate, characterized by poorly suited housing lacking sunlight and experiencing high humidity. Moreover, visible water networks are prevalent on the walls and above ground, often intertwined with electrical wires, posing a danger to residents. Additionally, the sewage network is insufficient to accommodate the camp’s population, leading to issues with wastewater management.
Dbayeh – Established in 1956
Dbayeh camp, established in 1956, is situated 12 kilometers east of Beirut on a hill overlooking the Beirut-Tripoli highway. It was created to accommodate Palestinian refugees who arrived from the Galilee region in northern Palestine.
Due to its strategic location, the camp endured significant violence and destruction during the Lebanese civil war. Approximately a quarter of its homes were destroyed or severely damaged, displacing over 100 families, the majority of whom are Palestinian Christian refugees. Dbayeh is now the sole remaining Palestinian refugee camp in the eastern suburbs of Beirut.
The camp’s residents face severe economic hardship, with many experiencing unemployment. Some men find temporary work as laborers, while others, particularly young people, are employed in shops or as cleaners. Currently, efforts are underway to comprehensively rehabilitate the camp’s infrastructure.
Palestinian Camps in North Lebanon and Bekaa
Nahr al-Bared Camp – Established in 1949
Located 16 kilometers from Tripoli near the coastal road in northern Lebanon, Nahr al-Bared camp was originally established by the League of the Red Cross Society in 1949 to house Palestinian refugees from the Lake Hula area in northern Palestine. UNRWA began providing services to refugees in 1950. The camp’s location close to the Syrian border with Lebanon turned it into an economic center for the Lebanese in the Akkar region.
In mid-2007, as a result of the conflict between the Lebanese army and the Fatah al-Islam group that took refuge in the camp, Nahr al-Bared camp was destroyed and bombarded with heavy artillery and aerial bombs during a three-month siege. It was estimated that approximately 95 percent of all buildings and infrastructure were completely destroyed or irreparably damaged, forcing the population to flee. According to UNRWA statistics, some 27,000 Palestinian refugees were displaced from Nahr al-Bared camp and surrounding areas in northern Lebanon.
Camp Reconstruction
Approximately 5,900 families are still displaced and completely dependent on UNRWA assistance. The Agency has undertaken the complex reconstruction of the camp in cooperation with the Lebanese government and with financial support from the international community. The return of residents began in October 2011, with more than 300 families receiving the keys to their new homes, and some shop owners were able to return as well.
The latest estimate for the cost of rebuilding Nahr al-Bared camp is approximately $345 million US dollars. So far, only 44 percent of this amount has been secured, leaving a shortage of about $183 million. On 7th August of this year, the Arab Development Bank provided $10 million US dollars to support the camp’s reconstruction plan, specifically for the completely demolished buildings since 2007. According to statements from a member of the council’s committee in the camp, Bassam Mawed, this plan will commence soon under the supervision of the Council for Development and Reconstruction.
Beddawi Camp – Established in 1955
UNRWA established Beddawi camp in 1955 on a hill in northern Lebanon, 5 kilometers north of Tripoli. The camp’s population reached approximately 16,500 people, among whom the unemployment rate is high and poverty is widespread. There is a significant demand for UNRWA services due to the growing population. Recently, the water, sanitation, and rainwater drainage systems in the camp have been rehabilitated.
Beddawi camp, among other camps in Lebanon, experienced a surge in population during the crisis in Nahr al-Bared in 2007. When fighting broke out, thousands of refugees fled to Beddawi, causing the camp’s population to swell to almost 30,000 overnight.
By mid-2009, approximately 10,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were still living in Beddawi camp and surrounding areas, putting significant pressure on UNRWA services and adding burdens to the Beddawi population.
To address the needs of the growing population, UNRWA has established prefabricated shelters for displaced children and expanded health services within Beddawi camp.
In the Bekaa
Wavell Camp – Galilee – Established in 1948
Established in 1948, Galilee Camp in Baalbek is often referred to as the smallest Palestinian camp in Lebanon. Named after the French general “Wavell,” it originally served as a horse stable left over from the French mandate. Situated at the southern entrance to the city of Baalbek, the camp occupies what was once a French military barracks with three entrances, surrounded by a high wall. In 1948, this barracks was repurposed as a Palestinian refugee camp, located approximately 90 kilometers east of Beirut.
The camp covers an area of approximately 43,500 square meters, with an estimated population of 7,600 refugees, the majority originating from the Upper Galilee region in Palestine, specifically from the towns of Sepphoria, Lubia, and Yajur. However, economic pressures reduced UNRWA services, and limited job opportunities have prompted many young residents to seek better prospects abroad, with Germany, Sweden, and Denmark being popular destinations. This exodus has left behind a population consisting mainly of children and the elderly, leading to the characterization of the camp as “the camp of the elderly and children.” The refugees in this camp face particularly harsh living conditions, exacerbated by extremely cold winters, poor housing, and severe overcrowding.
In addition to the challenges faced by Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, the camps have also grappled with the influx of refugees from the Syrian crisis, with approximately 42,000 Palestinian refugees seeking shelter in Lebanese Palestinian camps. This has further strained living conditions and services in the camps.
It is noteworthy that several Palestinian camps in Lebanon no longer exist, having been destroyed over the years. One such example is the Nabatieh camp in southern Lebanon, established in 1956 and destroyed in 1974 by Zionist occupation aircraft. Similarly, Tel al-Zaatar camp, located east of Beirut, was established in 1949 but was destroyed in 1976 during the Lebanese civil war. The Basha Bridge camp, also situated east of Beirut, was established in 1952 but met a similar fate during the Lebanese Civil War in 1976.