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Supporters of Lebanese political parties, expatriates and several Lebanese lawmakers protested in Brussels on Monday, coinciding with the annual international conference on Syrian refugees.
Lebanese protesters are expressing opposition to what they see as efforts to keep Syrians in Lebanon.
The protest was organized by the Lebanese Forces and attended by its MPs Pierre Boussaab and Elias Stephan, Free Patriotic Movement official Naji Hayek, and representatives of the Marada Movement, the Phalange Party and civil society organizations.
Protesters waved Lebanese flags to express support for Lebanon amid the Syrian refugee crisis and highlight the enormous pressure the Syrian refugee crisis has put on the country’s economy.
Demonstrators urged the international community and the European Union to “press for a solution to this crisis” and support refugees in Syria rather than those in Lebanon.
Many Lebanese, including politicians, have long advocated for the return of Syrians fleeing the 13-year civil war, accusing them of exacerbating major economic challenges Lebanon has faced since late 2019.
Lebanon claims to host about 2 million Syrian refugees, the highest per capita host in the world, with nearly 785,000 registered with the United Nations.
Anti-Syrian sentiment has intensified among politicians recently, with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urging Lebanese authorities to facilitate the arrival of migrant boats in Europe in a bid to pressure Western countries to provide more aid.
Earlier this month, the European Union announced $1 billion in aid to Lebanon to tackle illegal immigration, mainly Syrians, to Cyprus, the EU’s easternmost member state.
Lebanon has long relied on Syrians for manual labor, especially in agriculture and construction.
Lebanese security forces have recently stepped up their crackdown on Syrians without residence permits, shutting down their businesses and evicting them from their homes.
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