Omar al-Rassi, “Akhbar al-Yawm” agency

Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Foreign political investment

The international community has not made any decision yet

The Assad regime has been toppled, and therefore the pretext of repression and persecution that led hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee to Lebanon has fallen, so the main question today is "When to return, how and what mechanisms should be put in place?

There are more than two million displaced people in Lebanon, almost half of whom are not officially registered, which means that they do not have legitimate papers, and although this file has been the subject of long discussion for years, no step has been taken to achieve it, and it remains stuck until today, and there are no indications to end it completely and definitively, especially in light of the presidential vacuum and the caretaker government, in addition to the burdens caused by the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

In this context, an official source explains, via the "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency that "when the Israeli aggression against Lebanon began, a large number of Syrians left (Residents of Beirut Suburb, the south and the Bekaa), as well as when the regime fell, there was a remarkable return movement to Syria, especially by those who consider themselves to be close to the "Tahrir al-Sham"," saying: "But we are not in front of an actual return, for several reasons, most notably that most Syrians are still in Lebanon for economic reasons, there are no job opportunities in their country and perhaps no homes... In addition to the lack of any clear vision of what could happen in Syria, the foundations of governance have not yet been laid and have not even emerged".

On the other hand, the source continues: "The international community has not yet taken any decision on the return of the refugees, it is true that the regime fell a few days ago, but the payment of aid and other contributions is continuing".

As for the reason, the source says: "Perhaps the international community is looking at these groups currently in Lebanon from the point of view of political investment at a later stage, especially at the level of possible elections in Syria, knowing that this presence is subject to Turkish and Qatari sponsorship and tacit approval by Russia, Iran, America and other countries", pointing out that "the new phase is still at its beginning and the image of the government and its policy has not yet become clear".

And whether the Lebanese efforts that have been going on for years will bear fruit? The source excludes the matter, pointing out that "the reasons that prevented any progress at the internal level persist, and there is no government in Syria that can be negotiated with".