A new 2017 census by the Lebanese bureau of statistics reveals that the number of Palestinian refugees living in 12 refugee camps and 156 towns in Lebanon stands at 174,422. The data revealed by the census are in sharp contrast to official UNRWA figures which claim that 449,957 refugees reside in Lebanon. Palestinian sources recently stated that the number of refugees has dropped by half since many emigrated to Western countries to escape the discriminatory approach of the Lebanese government.