Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq, who were refused entry into Jordan last week, are now receiving assistance from UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

On Sunday, Ehab Taym, one of 88 Palestinian refugees who recently fled Baghdad, speaking from the Iraqi side of the border, said that the IRCS and UNHCR-Amman had sent blankets, tents, food and water.

After having been moved from the "No Man's Land" border area to the Iraqi side of the frontier, Taym said they were now housed in 20 tents provided by the aid agencies. They now await their fate.

According to UNHCR officials, about a week's worth of humanitarian assistance in the form of food, mattresses, blankets, stoves and lanterns was provided to the refugees on Thursday.
"We're trying to ensure that the basic needs of the group, such as food and water, are met," said Anne-Marie Deutschlander, a UNHCR-Jordan senior protection officer, in a statement. "However, the group is now in an area inside Iraq which makes it extremely difficult for us to have access or intervene."

Last week, the refugees fled Baghdad, where members of the group claim they suffered persecution and intimidation. According to Taym, he and his colleagues were regularly exposed to violence, mostly by unknown perpetrators, in and around their Baghdad compound. "If we go back to Baghdad, we'll suffer," said Taym. "If they send us back, we'll get killed."

There are an estimated 34,000 Palestinians in Iraq, of whom 23,000 are registered as refugees with the UNHCR in Baghdad. According to UNHCR figures, Palestinian refugees came to Iraq in three main waves, in 1948, 1967 and 1991.

Under the Saddam Hussein regime, Palestinians enjoyed a number of privileges, viewed by some Iraqis as unfair. In recent years, this simmering resentment has resulted in Palestinians regularly facing threats, harassment and evictions, according to aid workers.

"This wasn't a rash decision on the part of the refugees, who felt they were leaving a life-threatening situation," said Cathy Breen of the Christian Peacemaker Team in Jordan, members of which initially accompanied the group from Baghdad to the border. "It was a dire situation they were facing."

Breen added that there were daily accounts of the killing of Palestinians, including a gruesome report of the beheading of a Palestinian refugee just outside the Baghdad compound.

"When our colleagues spoke to some of the group, they said they had no wish to return anywhere in Iraq," said Deutschlander. "Several of them have been traumatised in past weeks, with family members being kidnapped and even killed."

Mohammad Abu-Baker, director-general of the refugee department at the Palestinian Embassy in Amman, said that the Palestinian Authority was doing what it could to find a solution to the refugees' plight, although this could include sending them back to Baghdad. "Our position concerning the refugees in Iraq and elsewhere is that either we receive them inside Palestinian National Authority territories or they stay near the border and return to Baghdad," Abu-Baker said.

Regarding last week's border closure, Jordanian government spokesperson Nasser Judeh said the border had officially reopened on Thursday because "the issue regarding the 88 refugees had been resolved", with Baghdad agreeing to take the refugees back to Iraq.

Finland was the latest Nordic country Wednesday to signal it would consider extra funding to the Palestinians via the UN Relief Agency for Palestine refugees.

The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), Karen Koning AbuZayd was informed of Helsinki's plans after meeting with Trade and Development Minister Paula Lehtomaki.

AbuZayd said some 75,000 people living in UNRWA refugee camps were not getting salaries from the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, and approached the UN agency for help.

"It's much worse than its been at any time over the past five years of the intifada," AbuZayd told Finnish radio, adding "we see lots of signs of people really suffering."

Lehtomaki signalled that Finland was prepared to increase its funding from last year's 3.6 million euros (4.6 million dollars). This year Finland has paid some 2.5 million euros (3.2 million dollars).

AbuZayd has previously visited Norway and Sweden. In Sweden, Deputy Foreign Minister Carin Jamtin said Sweden was likely to contribute an emergency payment of 13 million dollars, on a par with a similar payment last year.

The emergency payment was in addition to Sweden's regular payment of 32 million dollars, making Stockholm the agency's third largest donor.

Norway said last week it would contribute 24.5 million dollars after meetings in Oslo between AbuZyd and government officials.

UNRWA was founded in 1949, and provides assistance to some 4.3 million Palestinian refugees.

UNHCR is deeply concerned over the well-being of Palestinian refugees inside Iraq, as well as those who fled targeted harassment and violence in Baghdad and are now stuck at the border between Iraq and Syria and in camps in Jordan and Syria.

The security situation of Palestinian refugees in Iraq has deteriorated – particularly since the Samarra bombings last February – and an increasing number of them have left or are trying to leave the country. Palestinians in Iraq lack protection, have serious problems obtaining identity cards, and have been the target of continuing harassment, threats, kidnapping and killings. In late September, armed men in Baghdad hand-delivered written death threats to several Palestinians. Similar threats were issued earlier this year and created widespread panic among the Palestinians, many of whom tried to flee as a result.

Attempts by UNHCR to enlist the assistance of the Iraqi government and multinational forces to provide better protection for Palestinians have yielded modest results.

In 2003, UNHCR registered 23,000 of an estimated 34,000 Palestinians in Iraq. We believe about 20,000 of them remain in the country.

We are also very worried about the deplorable humanitarian conditions faced by some 330 Palestinians who tried to flee Iraq and have been stuck for more than four months at the Al-Tanf border crossing with Syria. Winter is coming and there is no solution in sight for these men, women and children. Upcoming rains could flood the tented areas where some 250 members of the group are staying. Another 75, who arrived later, are living in unacceptable conditions in a crowded building nearby.

Tensions at the border site are rising. The group feels insecure, citing reported regular visits from Iraqi security forces. Medical and sanitation facilities are inadequate. A premature baby recently died in the hospital, and the father of the child was not allowed to leave the border area to attend the funeral. Two weeks ago, a 14-year-old boy was hit and killed by a truck when he tried to ask for water. Tensions are rising, particularly as there is no sign of a solution. Despite efforts by UNHCR in Syria to gain entry for the Palestinians, the Syrian government has indicated they will not be admitted.

In Syria, meanwhile, the situation of more than 300 Palestinians who were admitted in May and who are now in El Hol refugee camp is also raising concerns. They had previously been stuck at the Iraq-Syrian border for about two months before gaining entry. They currently have only temporary status, limited freedom of movement, and no clear prospects as to their future. UNHCR is providing humanitarian care in cooperation with the Syrian authorities and UNRWA.

In neighbouring Jordan, 150 Palestinians in Ruwayshed camp – some since 2003 – will have to face another harsh winter in the scorpion-infested desert as all efforts to find solutions for them have been unsuccessful. Over the years, Jordan has provided refuge to many Palestinians, including after the 2003 fall of the Iraqi government when 386 Palestinians with Jordanian family connections were admitted. But in recent years, Jordan has denied entry to other Palestinians, emphasizing the need for other countries in the region to share the burden. Resettlement might be an option for about 50 Ruwayshed Palestinians, but this may take at least a year.

International support and goodwill are needed to find a solution for Palestinians from Iraq. UNHCR has tried several possibilities to no avail, including entry to Jordan; return to the Palestinian territories, with permission of Israel; relocation to other Arab states; and resettlement outside the region. At the same time, we continue to advocate for better protection of the Palestinian community inside Iraq.

Under the present circumstances, return to Iraq is no option unless security is restored.