(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Lebanese President General Michel Aoun said Lebanon is not capable of hosting anymore Syrian refugees, which is equivalent to half of its citizens, and it will absolutely not accept any form of settlement.
In his speech at the opening session of the Arab League Summit yesterday, Aoun said, 'We are concerned about the insistence of the international community to keep the Syrians displaced, in Lebanon although it is aware of the poor conditions in which they are living, although it knows that most of the Syrian regions have become safe, and that Lebanon is no longer capable of carrying this burden which puts strain on it at the economic, social and security levels, and despite the affirmation of the international humanitarian organisations that 80% of the Syrian displaced in Lebanon wish to return to their lands and properties.
'We are concerned about the insistence on linking the return of the displaced to the political solution, rather giving precedence to the political solution, although we all know that it might take long. Does the international community seek to turn the displaced into hostages in order to use them as leverage against Syria and Lebanon as well, to make them accept the solutions that may be imposed, he said. Aoun referred to the decision signed by the American president ' that recognises the sovereignty of Israel over the Golan Heights, following his previous decision acknowledging Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as a capital for Israel and transferring his embassy to it, in contradiction to all the relevant international resolutions, including Paragraph 4 Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, in which all the member states undertake to 'refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.
This decision does not only threaten the sovereignty of a brotherly State, but also threatens the sovereignty of the Lebanese State which owns lands that were gradually bitten off by Israel, especially in the Shebaa Farms, the Kfarshouba Hills and the northern part of Al-Ghajar village. The Lebanese ownership of these lands is proven by internationally recognised documents and maps, he added.
Aoun said, 'Over the past years, the world has spent billions on armaments, killing and destruction. Had this money or some of it been used on development, education, evolution, industry, agriculture, investments, and creation of job opportunities for the youth what leap would our States have made. Would our youth and children have been an easy prey for radical thinking which turned them into terrorists and into war and destruction machines. We are also concerned about Israel's attempts to violate Resolution 194 and to ultimately deprive the Palestinians of their land and identity, the adoption of the 'Jewish Nation-State law for Israel and the denial of the right of return, and the attempt to settle the Palestinians of the diaspora where they are, of which Lebanon has the largest share.
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