While Syrian refugees in Lebanon have long been the target of discrimination since their arrival during the Syrian uprising which began in 2011, they have been experiencing a recent surge of xenophobia. This not only threatens their well-being but also the stability of Lebanon.
On their part, Lebanese politicians have gone from passive bystanders to active participants in a campaign of incitement against Syrian refugees and now are scapegoating them for Lebanon's dire economic situation to deflect attention from their role in the crisis.
In a recent press conference, Lebanon's Minister of Interior in the caretaker government, Basam Al-Mawlawi, lamented the situation, placing sole blame on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the refugees themselves.
However, his comments failed to acknowledge the role of the Lebanese authorities in the situation.
If Al-Mawlawi's comments were remotely true then why is Lebanon the only country in the world complaining about the UN Commission's role? Why haven't other countries, such as Jordan, made similar allegations?
Some officials have called to expel the commission and close down its offices, which reflects their primary aim which is to deflect responsibility, threaten and intimidate.
These politicians are trying to liken Syrian refugees in the country to an "occupation" which heightens emotions and gives ammunition to those who want to threaten and even attack them.
Lebanese politicians are increasingly aligning themselves with Hezbollah whose main objective is to portray the Syrian refugee crisis as more than an economic threat but as a security threat.
