By : JD News Desk
Jordan Daily – Syrian civil registry offices have begun altering the legal designation of Palestinian refugees in official records, replacing the longstanding term “Syrian Palestinian” with “Palestinian resident,” and listing their location as “foreigner” rather than specifying a Syrian province, according to local reports.
The move, first reported by Syrian opposition newspaper Zaman al-Wasl, has triggered widespread criticism from Palestinian rights advocates and local communities, who view the change as a violation of the legal and historical identity of Palestinian refugees in Syria.
Most Palestinian refugees in Syria are descendants of those who fled or were expelled from their homes in what is now Israel during the 1948 Nakba. Since then, they have been granted limited residency rights under Syria’s 1956 Law No. 260, which recognized them as legal residents with access to civil documentation, though not full citizenship.
Syrian state media has not issued an official statement on the changes. However, Syria TV cited a government source claiming the alterations were due to a “technical error” during the integration of local and central records, particularly in Idlib province. Similar changes were also reported in Douma, Daraa, and Latakia.
Palestinian-Syrian lawyer Ghiyath Dabbour described the incident as an “administrative glitch,” but rights activist Ayman Abu Hashem warned that labeling refugees as “foreigners” constitutes a “clear legal violation” and called for immediate correction by the Ministry of Interior.
Critics argue the changes could signal a shift in Syria’s official stance toward its long-standing Palestinian population. The absence of a formal government clarification has only deepened concerns among refugees and advocacy groups.
