Mustaqbal Slams Nasrallah Anti-Saudi Remarks, Urges against 'Populism' on Refugees

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday warned that the latest anti-Saudi remarks by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah could “lead to a sedition in Lebanon and the region.”

“It is needed to steer Lebanon clear of the region's blaze and its tensions instead of implicating in further problems that harm all Lebanese people and Lebanon's Arab ties,” the bloc said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.

Commenting on calls for returning Syrian refugees in Lebanon to their country, Mustaqbal acknowledged that “the magnitude of the Syrian refugee presence in Lebanon has started to pose unbearable national, economic, social and security burdens for Lebanon.”

The bloc, however, stressed the need to deal with the refugee crisis “away from populist policies, xenophobic sentiments and electoral objectives.”

“The Syrian refugees' safe return to their country is a joint national, Arab and international responsibility,” Mustaqbal added.

Earlier in the day, the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc called for the return of Syrian refugees to their country and for communication with the Syrian government in this regard.

It also warned that the refugee crisis has started to pose an existential threat to Lebanon.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has also called for returning refugees to safe zones in Syria.

Lebanon, of around 4.5 million people, has over one million registered Syrian refugees.