Relationship dossier
Lebanon
Palestine
Relationship assessment
Political support and official engagement coexist with unresolved refugee and security issues.
Lebanon toward Palestine
+20Lebanon has supported Palestinian statehood in international forums, including voting for Palestine's admission to UNESCO in 2011. Its policy toward Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, including restrictions on some employment and property rights, remains a major complication.
Palestine toward Lebanon
+15The Palestinian leadership has pursued official engagement with Lebanon, including Mahmoud Abbas's 2013 visit and bilateral discussions concerning Palestinian refugees. Palestinian leaders have also affirmed Lebanon's sovereignty, while their influence over armed groups in the camps is limited.
Overall relationship
+20The enduring relationship combines Lebanese political support for Palestinian statehood with official Palestinian engagement and dialogue on refugee affairs. Refugee rights and the security consequences of armed groups in Lebanon's camps remain significant complications; the relationship is neither a close partnership nor primarily adversarial.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Lebanon has supported Palestinian statehood and maintained diplomatic engagement with the Palestinian leadership. The relationship is complicated by the long-term presence of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, restrictions affecting their rights, and the security challenges posed by armed groups in some camps. Palestinian leaders have pursued official engagement with Lebanon and affirmed respect for its sovereignty.
Areas of tension
- Restrictions on Palestinian refugees' employment and property rights in Lebanon
- Security concerns related to armed groups and weapons in Palestinian refugee camps
Key developments
Lebanon voted in favor of Palestine's admission to UNESCO.
Mahmoud Abbas visited Lebanon for talks that included the situation of Palestinian refugees.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation beyond official diplomatic engagement are unclear.
- The extent of Palestinian Authority influence over armed groups and conditions in refugee camps in Lebanon is uncertain.