“The proposal will not be submitted unless it is the result national consensus,” LF and Batroun MP Antoine Zahra said.

Asked whether the proposal would be submitted to parliamentary committees for discussion on Monday, Zahra said “it was a nearly certain date,” as he stressed that talks with FPM leader MP Michel Aoun and the remaining parties were positive.

Following a meeting between the Future Movement, the LF and the March 14 Forces General Secretariat, Mashnouq was delegated by Future Movement bloc leader Fouad Siniora to reach an understanding with Speaker Nabih Berri, FPM leader Michel Aoun and Jumblatt over the proposal.

“Ongoing contacts made a big progress that led to a new proposal that takes into consideration all stances as well as that of the Labor ministry with regard to granting refugees a work permit but exempt them from fees,” Labor Minister, MP Butros Harb said Sunday.

In remarks published by the daily An-Nahar on Sunday, Mashnouq said Jumblatt expressed his understanding to postpone discussions on granting Palestinian refugees the right of property ownership and restrict talks to work and social security rights.

According to Mashnouq, the proposal would protect the Palestinian refugees’ identity by granting them work permits,  as the international community would continue to provide the Palestinians health and educational services.