May 9, 2008, 12:54 GMT
Ramallah - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Friday urged about 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon to stay out of the current conflict between the government and the opposition.
He also warned against attempts to drag the Palestinians into the ongoing fighting between Hezbollah and forces loyal to the government.
Abbas told reporters in Ramallah that he was 'following with concern' developments in Lebanon and urged the warring parties not to 'drag the country into a more critical situation.'
'We are concerned about Lebanon's unity and safety and we want the best relations with all its parties,' he said.
'We are temporary guests there until we can return to Palestine and until then, and from previous painful experiences, we should remain neutral and respect the official Lebanese institutions and laws,' he said.
Thousands of Palestinians living in Lebanon were killed during the country's 1975-1990 civil war.
The majority of Lebanon's Palestinians are refugees who either fled or were expelled from their homes in historic Palestine during the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 that followed the creation of Israel.
Your Talkback on this Story