Syria's "Resident Palestinian" shift triggers alarm over rights

Shafaq News – Damascus

Syrian authorities have introduced changes to civil status documents issued to Palestinians residing in the country, according to local media outlets.

The amendments have appeared in recent official documents, including the family registration certificate, where the nationality now reads “Resident Palestinian.” Previous versions had listed Palestinians as “Syrian Palestinians,” with their place of residence identified by provinces—even for those born in Syria.

A report published by the Syrian outlet Zaman al-Wasl highlighted that the new classification has already been applied in multiple regions. The removal of regional identifiers and the shift in legal description have raised concerns among Palestinian refugees and rights organizations, which view the changes as a potential erosion of long-standing civil and legal protections.

While some government-affiliated sources have denied the existence of an official policy shift, they attributed the developments to technical errors during the integration of civil registries in areas such as Idlib. These sources indicated that any inconsistencies would be corrected.

However, similar documentation has been reported in other areas, including Daraa and the Damascus countryside. The recurrence across several provinvces has prompted questions over whether the issue extends beyond isolated administrative errors and reflects a broader shift in policy.

If formally adopted, the new classification could limit access to key rights Palestinians in Syria have historically been granted, particularly in education, employment, and property ownership.

Rights groups also warned that reclassifying them as “foreign residents” rather than refugees may undermine protections established under Syrian Law No. 260 of 1956, which affords Palestinians most civil rights without treating them as foreign nationals.

Human rights advocates and Palestinian community representatives are urging Syrian authorities to clarify the situation and restore the previous legal designations.

As of the time of publication, the Syrian government has not issued a formal statement confirming or explaining the nature of the changes.