Lebanese MPs in the parliamentary library. (Credit: Ali Fawwaz/Lebanese Parliament)
Representatives from various Lebanese parliamentary blocs gathered Monday at the Parliament Library in downtown Beirut to discuss the issue of displaced persons in Lebanon amidst escalating Israeli strikes, particularly in the city of Sour in southern Lebanon. In their statement, the MPs declared the issue of internal displacement as a "national cause."
Nearly 40 MPs out of the 128, including members of Hezbollah’s bloc like Ali Ammar and Hassan Fadlallah, stressed the need for "solidarity with displaced populations" and the importance of ensuring a national safety net to protect the country from the negative impacts of the Israeli aggression.
In their final communiqué, they agreed that the issue of the displaced should be considered a "national cause requiring a collective approach." They urged the caretaker government to intensify efforts to provide more shelters for displaced people and ensure their basic needs. They also called on "the international community to take responsibility" and provide aid to Lebanon’s displaced, stating that "the assistance provided so far is far from sufficient." At least three Hezbollah MPs attended the meeting, while last week’s parliamentary session had to be adjourned due to a lack of quorum, in part because Hezbollah members were absent for "security reasons" following the assassination of key figures from the pro-Iran axis, including Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in southern Beirut on Sept. 27.
Respect for Private Property Lebanon currently hosts over 1.4 million refugees, according to a report Monday by Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. The displaced come from southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and northern Bekaa. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated on Oct. 13 that the number of internally displaced persons, mainly in southern Lebanon, had reached 700,000.
The MPs, including those from the Lebanese Forces, the Free Patriotic Movement, and Hezbollah's ally Amal, linked to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, called on "the Lebanese army, security forces, and municipalities to fulfill their duty to ensure the safety of displaced persons and residents, enforce the law firmly, and prevent any armed presence, whether by displaced individuals or residents."
They also emphasized the need for "all citizens, whether residents or displaced, to adhere to public order and respect private property," referencing incidents where displaced persons had squatted in homes or threatened property owners who refused to house them. They called on the government to support municipalities in registering displaced persons in shelters and coordinating aid distribution through the Government Disaster Management Authority.
Lebanon has been without a president since Oct. 31, 2022, and its caretaker government is only handling routine affairs. Parliament, which should convene to elect a president, has failed to do so due to deep divisions over Hezbollah’s arsenal and defense policy. The last presidential election session was held on June 14, 2023, while the most recent parliamentary meeting on Oct. 22, 2024, aimed at electing parliamentary committees, failed due to a lack of quorum.
The MPs also urged displaced individuals seeking to engage in commercial or professional activities to obtain the necessary authorizations from the relevant authorities, in accordance with the law.
