Six years since the Syrian uprising turned into an all-out civil war, tensions in Lebanon between Syrian refugees and Lebanese nationals have continued to intensify, especially in Beirut. It is no secret that Lebanese officials have contributed to the scapegoating of refugees for Lebanon’s socioeconomic and political woes.
In February, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil hinted that the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon poses a demographic and existential threat. “Lebanon, without its philosophy and culture, will go to the advantage of refugees and terrorists,” he told expats in Johannesburg, South Africa.
