BEIRUT– Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit called for taking into account pressing conditions in Lebanon as a result of the Arab refugees’ presence on its lands, noting that Lebanon has hosted them for many years without any external support.
The world should not forget those pressing conditions, Abul Gheit said, considering that a point that must remain present all the time, especially in light of the current situation in Lebanon, in addition to the Ukrainian crisis.
The AL chief made the remarks on Monday after his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun at Baabda Presidential Palace.
Abul Gheit noted that Lebanon has paid a hefty tax for a period of 10 years or more as a result of the presence of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Syrian refugees, while it receives no support from the world.
This happens at a time when European and international efforts are accelerating to help Ukrainian refugees, he said, noting that this raises a question about double standards in dealing with refugees.
Meanwhile, Abul Gheit asserted the Arab League’s readiness to dispatch a team to monitor Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May, noting that the pan-Arab body has taken similar steps in Algeria, Iraq, Palestine and many other regions in the Arab world.
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