The Casablanca Protocol: Arab states promised to offer Palestinians jobs as equals - except when they don't want to

Arab League meeting in 1957

In 1965, the Arab League issued The Casablanca Protocol which said, among other things, that Palestinians in any Arab state must be able to obtain jobs without any restriction, like any citizen of those nations. Arab nations could not discriminate against Palestinians. 

Then you look at the fine print.

Kuwait added a reservation saying that private Kuwaiti businesses can discriminate against Palestinian employees. 

Lebanon said that they would only honor this rule "in accordance with prevailing social and economic conditions"  - meaning, if the economy is bad by any definition, Palestinians are last in line to get jobs.

Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia never signed the protocol to begin with!

Then, in 1991, the protocol was further watered down. "An amendment to a resolution passed at the 46th Session of the Arab League Conference of Supervisors of Palestinian Affairs held in August allows member states to observe the 1965 Casablanca Protocol in accordance with their national laws."

Which means that any Arab nation can pass a law that contradicts the Casablanca Protocol and it becomes meaningless. Which is exactly what was done in Lebanon.

This is the sort of thing that, had Israel done it to Arab citizens of Israel, there would be thousands of academic papers and op-eds denouncing this discrimination. 

But Arab countries discriminating against Palestinians?

Yawn.

(h/t Irene)

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