Jumblat Calls on Doubling Efforts to Confront Syrian Refugees' Humanitarian Crisis
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said on Tuesday that the large number of Syrian and Palestinian refugees entering Lebanon from the neighboring country became a burden on the state, urging the government to double its efforts to confront the humanitarian crisis.
According to As Safir newspaper, Jumblat called during talks with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in Paris on Monday on the competent international agencies to cooperate to aid Lebanon in this matter.
He pointed out that the deteriorating situation in Syria is prompting huge numbers of Syrians and Palestinians to enter Lebanon, which requires authorities to exert efforts to aid them.
Lebanon hosted on Monday the second meeting for donor countries and organizations, whereby the representatives lauded the government's $178 million plan that aims at helping 130,000 refugees.
Jumblat pointed out that Fabius expressed his country's support to Lebanon and the resumption of dialogue among Lebanese foes.
The French FM also voiced support to the Lebanese state's decision to disassociate itself from the ongoing turmoil in Damascus.
“All the Lebanese must avoid allowing the Syrian crisis from spilling over into the country,” Jumblat said.
The Druze leader headed to Germany on December 9 and is currently in France to hold talks with senior officials.
An Nahar newspaper reported that on Monday alone around 1,200 Palestinians fled from the refugee camp of Yarmuk in Damascus into Lebanon.
On Sunday, President Bashar Assad's regime warplanes bombed Yarmuk, prompting U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon to express alarm at the "dramatic escalation of violence".
The intense fighting between forces loyal to Assad and rebels battling to overthrow him has sparked a huge exodus of Syrians to neighboring countries.
There are around 150,000 Syrian refugees currently in Lebanon, according to figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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