BEIRUT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian refugees inside and outside camps all over Lebanon demonstrated for the third day on Wednesday against the Labor Ministry's crackdown on unregistered foreign workers, the National News Agency reported.
Refugees burned tires in different parts of Lebanon while calling on the Lebanese government to facilitate their work in different sectors in the country without binding them to issue work permits.
Last month, the ministry gave companies a one-month deadline to acquire the necessary work permits.
After the deadline expired last week, it started inspections, closing down non-compliant establishments and issuing warnings for others.
This move prompted hundreds of Palestinian refugees to protest in the past three days in Beirut as well as in the south and east of the country, while labeling the move as "unfair."
Meanwhile, the Joint Palestinian Labor Authority and popular committees in Saida, southern of Lebanon, said on Wednesday that the demonstrations will continue until the ministry meets the Palestinian refugees' rights and demands.
For his part, Labor Minister Camille Abousleiman announced earlier this week that his ministry will facilitate the procedures required for Palestinian refugees to issue work permits, adding that the ministry is keen on implementing the law and protecting Lebanese workers against foreign competition.
"We are not regulating the labor market to increase the misery of Palestinian refugees. We understand very well that Palestinians are suffering and we will be exempting them from fees paid for issuing work permits in addition to facilitating this process for them," he said.
