The Renewal Bloc called for strict control of the borders between Lebanon and Syria, in line with the requirements of Lebanese sovereignty and the legitimate resolutions of the United Nations, in particular resolution 1680, which calls for the demarcation and control of borders.
At the end of its weekly meeting on Friday, the bloc considered that responsibility for this migratory flow lies with the Syrian regime, Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. It also called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution mandating the UN Interim Force in Lebanon operating in the south to assist the Lebanese army in closing illegal crossings with Syria and monitoring legal ones, in order to guarantee strict border control and restore Lebanese sovereignty over the entire territory.
The Renewal Bloc also challenged the international community, calling for a change in its political approach to the Syrian refugee issue due to the fundamental changes that have occurred since 2011. “The refugee problem has become a time bomb threatening Lebanon’s existence, identity, and stability,” the statement reads. “What happened in Dora on Thursday night is a dangerous incident that must be prevented by serious and effective measures, with an international and comprehensive roadmap for a solution. This starts with the return of economic refugees to their home countries and continues with a plan for the return of others to safe areas in Syria.”
In this regard, the bloc criticized the latest speech by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, stressing that it was futile to propose populist solutions to the refugee issue at this stage, such as sending them by boat to Europe. The bloc recalled that Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian conflict is the main reason for this displacement, while governments, controlled by the party, have failed to take steps to regulate and organize it since 2011 to date. The Renewal Bloc also noted that the Hezbollah’s ally, the Syrian regime, was responsible for the waves of displacement in plain sight and that it would be preferable if it stopped exporting its crisis to Lebanon.
Regarding the presidential issue, the Renewal Bloc reaffirmed its determination to confront the resistance option by imposing its presidential candidate. It also welcomed the continuation of Arab and international efforts to elect a president after a long vacancy, efforts hampered by Hezbollah’s persistence in imposing its candidate.
The Renewal Bloc also pointed out that this obstinacy on the part of the pro-Iranian formation will not change the opposition’s position, which rejects state domination and the overthrow of the Constitution. “The opposition has always demonstrated its willingness and ability to explore all rescue options, while the resistance obstructs all initiatives, whether by shutting down Parliament or calling for a booby-trapped ‘dialogue’.”
