Lebanese Kataeb Party leader, MP Sami Gemayel, pointed out that "the situation Lebanon faces regarding the Syrian presence has changed completely from what it was before." He emphasized that "Lebanon welcomed Syrian refugees at risk of death during the Syrian war in 2011, and the Lebanese treated the oppressed Syrian people better than other countries that, while giving us lessons on human rights, closed their borders against them. Lebanon has accepted over 1.8 million displaced persons in full view of everyone."
Following his meeting with the UN Coordinator in Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, Gemayel explained that it was an opportunity "to express our concerns and observations on the international community's strategy and approach towards Lebanon regarding the file of the Syrian presence." He clarified that "we can no longer talk about asylum or displacement, but rather economic migration," stating that the situation faced by Lebanon regarding the Syrian presence is very different from the past. He directed his message to the international community, particularly the European Union, which "bears the primary responsibility in this matter because it significantly supports the policy of the High Commissioner for Refugees."
He continued, "Our friends in the European Union raise their voices, and we will soon be there to express our opinion, as the primary responsibility lies with the union. To avoid any clashes between the Lebanese and the refugees, which could be exploited later, I urge the state and the international community to play their roles. There are those who have an interest in shifting the discussion from the political file we face today to the discussion of the Syrian refugee file and creating clashes between the Lebanese and Syrians; we have no interest in any conflicts in Lebanon that we are better off without."
He concluded by affirming that the state has "all the legal arsenal" to carry out its work, and the international community has "an arsenal of arguments to change its policy on this issue and encourage voluntary return to Syria," emphasizing that the international community must stop funding the continued presence of refugees in Lebanon.
