In Camps Not in Camps Total
Jordan 341,494 1,642,239 1,983,733
West Bank 197,763 581,230 778,993
Gaza 502,747 603,448 1,106,195
Lebanon 226,533 199,107 425,640
Syria 127,831 344,278 472,109
TOTAL 1,396,368 3,370,302 4,766,670
The population of 1967 displaced persons stands at approximately one million (many of whom are also 1948 refugees). The overwhelming majority of these are in Jordan.
The situation of Palestinian refugees varies widely:
In the West Bank refugees are stateless due to continued Israeli occupation and the failure to establish a Palestinian state.They live under a combination of Palestinian Authority and Israeli civil-military administration administration, in partial accordance with past peace agreements. Three-quarters of the refugees live outside of camps, and use both UNRWA and PA services. The standard of living of West Bank refugees is similar to that of the non-refugee population.
In Gaza refugees are also stateless because of the failure of the peace process to establish an independent Palestinian state. The area is administered by the local Hamas-controlled government. Although Israel disengaged from Gaza in August 2005, it retains direct control over Gaza's airspace, coast, and most of its borders, and severly restricts access. The current Egyptian-Israeli embargo against Gaza has caused severe economic decline in the Gaza, requiring substantial humanitarian assistance (largely channeled through UNRWA).
In Jordan, most Palestinians (excepting refugees who arrived via Gaza, and some who arrived after 1967) are full citizens, and enjoy a standard of living generally equivalent to other Jordanians. Fewer than one in eight Palestinian refugees in Jordan lives in a camp, and most camps have effectively become urban neighbourhoods.
In Syria, Palestinian refugees are non-citizens, but are provided with full access to employment and social services. Only one quarter of the refugees still live in a camp. Their condition is generally similar to others in the country.
Conversely, stateless Palestinians in Lebanon face numerous employment restrictions and are barred from owning property. Consequently, they generally live in adverse circumstances, often in poor and overcrowded refugee camps. Because of this, many have left the country, and the actual number of refugees in Lebanon is likely much lower than UNRWA figures--probably around 250,000. There have been some changes in Lebanese government policy since 2005, and some minor reforms were made to employment restrictions in August 2010.
Palestinian refugees living outside of these areas are dealt with by UNHCR, rather than UNRWA. In Kuwait, most Palestinians fled or were forced to leave after the 1990-91 Gulf war. In 1995, Libya expelled many of its Palestinians in a bizarre protest against the peace process. In Iraq, many refugees faced attacks after 2003, and fled the country. In Egypt and the Gulf states, Palestinians are typically treated as foreign visitors/residents.