Smoke rising above an informal camp for Syrian refugees in Arsal, Lebanon, Oct. 5, 2022. (Credit: Courtesy of Sarah Abdallah)
BEIRUT — The municipal council of the Lebanese-Syrian border village of Arsal (Baalbeck-Hermel) has been declared officially resigned by the Interior Ministry, after the resignation of the majority of its members, the state-run National News Agency reported Friday.
The members first submitted their resignation on Aug. 18, then confirmed it on Sept. 8 before it became effective on Oct. 8, the governor of Baalbeck-Hermel Bashir Khodr said Friday. Khodr also expressed hope that "the vacancy will not last" and that elections should be held to replace those who resigned." In the meantime, the district's vicar and governor will manage the affairs of the village.
According to information from our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah, the frequent conflicts between the chairman of the council Bassel Hojeiri and some council members led to the current situation. These conflicts are of a purely municipal nature (and not political). The head of the municipality is accused of "legal violations" and an investigation has been opened in this regard. The first from the council to resign was Rima Karnabi, followed by six others: Hussein Atrache, Souheil Rajouh, Hassan Zaarour, Mohammad Jibawi, Ahmad Karnabi and Abdel Wahab Hojeiri. All demanded the departure of the president who refused to comply. Mediation by Mohafez Khodr and others was unsuccessful.
Arsal is one of the poorest villages in Lebanon and hosts the highest percentage of Syrian refugees compared to its original population. Several cases of cholera have recently been confirmed in the village.
In July, a similar incident took place in Tripoli as the head of its municipality was accused by municipality members of negligence, mismanagement and corruption. Caretaker Interior Minister at the time Bassam Mawlawi issued a circular to elect a new head of municipality and his deputy.