One parliament member expressed that he and several of his colleagues were surprised by what European deputies mentioned during meetings between the two sides, specifically that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an office in Syria that provides aid to displaced persons within Syria. On the other hand, the Commissioner has repeatedly stated that it assists Syrians in their home country and emphasizes that it does not advocate for the resettlement or integration of Syrian refugees (displaced persons) into Lebanese society. Furthermore, it assists the host community and vulnerable Lebanese groups akin to the refugees, while also working on "resettling refugees in third countries," which alleviates the burden on Lebanon from displacement.
However, no matter how much the Commissioner tries to assert its "good intentions" in aiding refugees based on humanitarian and rights-based motives, there is now a belief among the majority of officials, political forces, and a significant segment of the Lebanese population that there is international interest in keeping Syrian displaced individuals in Lebanon and not allowing them to return to their homeland. This concern is conveyed through various means, primarily the assistance provided by the UN, particularly the UNHCR, to these displaced persons. Given the substantial burdens that this displacement places on Lebanon—economically, financially, demographically, and security-wise—Lebanese citizens have developed a "sensitivity" regarding this issue, and the return of displaced persons to their homes has become a unifying Lebanese demand.
However, a comprehensive and final return of displaced Syrians to their country remains a long-term prospect linked to a comprehensive political solution in Syria. While awaiting this return, Lebanon is relying on "partial returns" through various avenues, including individual returns, voluntary return processes organized by the General Directorate of General Security, border control measures to prevent Syrians from entering Lebanon through illegal crossings, deportations of violators within Lebanese territory, and "resettlement in third countries" through the Refugee Commissioner. Yet, it does not seem that any of these "channels" allow for a significant number of displaced persons to leave the country.
As for resettlement in third countries, this practice is adopted because there are a number of refugees worldwide who cannot return home due to ongoing conflict, wars, or persecution, while simultaneously living in precarious situations or having specific needs that cannot be met in the country where they sought protection. Under such circumstances, the UNHCR assists in resettling refugees in a third country. "Resettlement" means transferring refugees from the host country (like Lebanon) to another country (for example, Belgium) that has agreed to accept them and grant them permanent residency. The Commissioner is mandated under its statute and United Nations General Assembly resolutions to conduct resettlement in third countries as an important permanent solution and one of the main objectives of the "Global Compact on Refugees" (GCR).
According to the Commissioner, resettlement facilitates the sharing of responsibility and demonstrates solidarity with host countries like Lebanon, thereby supporting large numbers of refugees. However, this depends on the quotas set by resettlement countries. The Commissioner’s sources stated to "Nidaa Al-Watan": "Although resettlement in third countries is considered an important solution, it remains a limited solution for the most vulnerable refugees and depends on offers received by the Commissioner from resettlement countries."
In terms of mechanism, resettlement countries decide annually the number of resettlement spots they will provide for millions of refugees worldwide. While the Commissioner calls for opportunities for resettlement, the decision ultimately rests with the governments of those countries. Since resettlement places are extremely limited, the Commissioner must prioritize cases of refugees with the most urgent protection needs and vulnerabilities.
In Lebanon, from 2011 until the end of 2023, approximately 100,000 displaced individuals were resettled from Lebanon to third countries. In 2023 alone, 8,985 displaced persons left Lebanon for various countries, marking a 9.25% increase in departure cases for resettlement compared to 2022, which is the highest number recorded since 2017. As of the beginning of 2024, 984 displaced individuals have been resettled in third countries. The resettled individuals are distributed across various countries, particularly in Europe: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
