Shame on Nayla Tueni, one of only 4 Lebanese women in Parliament and only 28. She has published an Op Ed in her family’s Arabic newspaper, Al Nahar, accusing Palestinians of bullying Lebanon and telling activists who are demanding equal rights for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees to piss off. Written in such self-righteous style, one could forget the fact that it is incredibly racist. I have translated her article into English below. Yes, Nayla, Lebanon is an apartheid state, denying a refugee population that lives on its land (because it has nowhere else to go) their human rights for the single reason that they are Palestinian. Yes, the Lebanese are a racist people because they discriminate against the Palestinians for no other reason than their nationality. It is as simple as that. Your arguments are unsound and invalid and sectarian and – perhaps worst of all – really badly written.

Photo taken by tm at March for Palestinian Human Rights in Lebanon yesterday. Click on photo to visit the gallery on Flickr

A couple of days ago, I read an article in which an American Palestinian describes his troubles in renting a house in Lebanon, and how he at least has a little advantage on his fellow Palestinians because he holds a foreign passport. He goes on to talk about Lebanese racism towards Palestinians first, and towards migrant workers as well.

Palestinians have a right to a life of peace and comfort that has not been granted to them in their land nor in Arab countries where they live. Their movement is restricted in Egypt, they have suffered in Jordan, were kicked out of Kuwait, and their physical and political activities are closely monitored in Syria. They are discriminated against in most Arab countries, but don’t dare to talk about their situation except in Lebanon, not because their suffering is greater, that is true relatively, but because they know that they will not be held accountable for their words and writings. They will not be held in the airport or at the borders. In Lebanon, they have a freedom they have never known or lived since they were kicked out of their homeland.

Palestinians tried to live their freedom – chaos on Lebanese land. They withheld freedom of expression and mobility and living from Lebanese. Instead of trying to liberate their land and country, they worked to build an alternative state that passes through Jounieh, not through the Southern borders. We don’t want to open wounds of the past every time the Palestinian issue is brought up because their rights are human rights and Lebanon must work seriously to deliver some of these rights according to capabilities that do not affect Lebanese citizens negatively.

But in return, have the Palestinians made any effort to express good will towards Lebanon? Have they controlled terrorism in Nahr Al Bared camp before the Lebanese army had to go into a harsh battle with them and lose over 100 martyrs? Have they delivered to the Lebanese authorities a fugitive who is hiding in Ain El Helwe camp? Did they prevent a terrorist from sneaking in to blow up commercial stores in East Saida villages? Did they control and turn in their weapons outside the camps in compliance with agreements of the National Dialogue Conference and to preserve the respect of the Lebanese state? Did they take permission from the required authorities to hold their military maneuvers in Qusaya and other places?

Is it always up to Lebanon to give up and concede and tolerate, and after all this, someone comes to hold us responsible and accuse our government and people of racism? In all countries of the world, the Palestinian is treated like any other citizen because he is like everyone else. But in Lebanon, he is above Lebanese citizens because he is above the law.

And so enough, a thousand times enough, to the statements and speeches, and television interviews of organizations that don’t exist, or that represent only a hundred or so people, while the majority has escaped from their clutch. Justice, enough offending and bruising Lebanon, destroying its well-being and identity. These are nothing but biddings that aim to hurt others and pay back for older unsettled accounts that belong to no one now that the snow has melted.

And finally, since the Palestinian Authority still exists, why doesn’t it issue official passports to all Palestinians on Lebanese land so that they are counted and identified, and can thereby get work permits just like any other Arab citizen?

Do they dare to discuss this option? More importantly, can they agree to this option? Will the Palestinian Authority respond? Of course not, and if the answer is set already, will it always be “Lebanon’s fault?”

Translated from الاستقواء الفلسطيني على لبنان published in Al Nahar newspaper on Monday, June 28.