Thousands of Palestinian refugees on Thursday welcomed new PLO leader Mahmud Abbas and Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei and hailed their promise not to forget their right to return to what is now Israel.
The leaders arrived in Beirut on Wednesday on a two-day official visit to Lebanon.
Addressing the crowd, Qurei said the leadership would "never abandon" their right to return, AFP reported.
"We wait for the moment of return to the fatherland in conformity with (UN Security Council) Resolution 194."
Qurei said that the talks, "both in Damascus and in Beirut were filled with understanding." He added "we laid the groundwork for future relations and obtained promises to ease life in the camps ... You are going to notice an improvement in the days and and weeks to come." "We found Palestine in the hearts of the Syrian people", Qurei said in his speech in al-Rashidiah camp, southern Lebanon.
