How Will UN Recognition Of A Palestinian State Stir Things Up--In Lebanon?

One can understand why the US and Israel might be opposed to the UN vote on a Palestinian state this month.

But Jordan is also opposed to UN recognition of a Palestinian state:

Jordan has appealed to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and asked him to reconsider the PA's nearing bid for UN recognition, Saudi Arabia's al-Madinah newspaper reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, Jordan views the move as dangerous and as one that may compromise the Palestinians' assertion of the right of return.

Jordan's interest is purely unselfish, not wanting the Arabs to jeopardize their chances of returning back to the homes of their parents and grandparents.

But maybe there is something else to the potential change from being a "nonvoting observer entity" to being a "nonvoting observer state".

For example, the implications for Palestinian Arabs in Lebanon may be very real, where Palestinian Arabs have the status of foreigners.

The key to their status is Lebanon's "reciprocity law":

The country’s so-called “reciprocity law” means that any rights enjoyed by a foreign claimant in Lebanon are conditional on a Lebanese person enjoying the same rights in that person’s home country. Since the Palestinians do not have a country, this leaves them at a severe disadvantage in Lebanon.

Although Lebanon recognizes Palestine as a state, the reciprocity law has historically been used to discriminate against Palestinians here. They are limited in their ability to obtain employment and to own property, and the vast majority is consigned to life in one of the 12 refugee camps in the country.

Till now, the way to get more rights for those Palestinian Arabs is to fight for exceptions to the reciprocity law--but UN recognition could make the reciprocity law irrelevant.

The results: Palestinian Arabs will have equality in Lebanon--and be free to compete in Lebanon for the same jobs as everyone else. At least in theory, assuming they would acquire enough money to buy land in Lebanon.

And in Jordan, their fears about losing a "Palestinian right to return"--something that neither Israel, nor international law, supports--may not be the whole story.

Technorati Tag: Palestine and Lebanon.