Jordan moves to improve lives of Gazan refugees
The Jordanian government issued a decision recently to allow Gazan refugees to buy and own property and vehicles, which was not welcomed by some who see this as a move aimed to permanently settle refugees in the kingdom.
At a time when Jordanians are protesting the government’s economic policies and accusing it of failing to address domestic challenges, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz moved to alleviate pressure on one of the kingdom’s most underprivileged communities, Gazans refugees.
Praised by most and viewed with skepticism by a minority, the Cabinet decided Dec. 3 to allow the kingdom’s more than 150,000 Gazan refugees to own property and certain types of vehicles. The move came after members of the Lower House had called on Razzaz a month earlier to look into the plight of Gazans living in Jordan who are denied basic civil rights. Previous governments had balked at taking similar steps in the past for fear of a backlash by those — mainly right-wing nationalists — who may accuse them of settling Palestinians in the kingdom.
