Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib announced on Tuesday that refugees in Lebanon are not considered political refugees due to their displacement for economic reasons, as reported by Italian press Agenzia Nova.
During an interview with the Italian Association of International Organizations, Bou Habib noted that Syrian refugees are considered economic refugees and that Lebanon is no longer able to bear their presence. He requested that the allocated financial support they receive in Lebanon be redirected to them in Syria under the same conditions.
The Minister further stated that the presence of two million Syrians in Lebanon threatens the composition of the Lebanese entity.
He called for a resolution for the displaced, emphasizing that there is no clear roadmap determining their fate, adding that “Palestinians have been waiting for a resolution for their refugee status for over 75 years and still cannot return home.”
The Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs also revealed that he has discussed the issue with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Mekdad, to ensure the refugees’ safe return.
