The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East triggers the diaspora of Lebanese and Syrians

In 1990 the last conflict zones, especially in Beirut, were pacified and a year later a general amnesty was granted to ex-combatants, although the syrian occupation part of the north and east of the country will last until 2005 and the Israeli part of the southern area until 2000. The war cost the lives of some 200,000 people, another million were injured and more than a million left Lebanon.

When it seemed that there was a time for hope, in 2006 this dream of lasting peace was blown up. In the summer the call went out Lebanon War who faced for a month the Israeli army and Hezbollah (Party of God), Lebanese Islamist organization formed by a political arm and a military arm. It was created in 1982 in response to Israel’s intervention. From then until the recent confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel, the inhabitants of Lebanon considered it a miracle that relative calm reigned.

Despite being a hornet’s nest with an uncertain future, the reality is that until today the country has known how to get up, rebuild itself again and again, and modernize itself. But this time history repeats itself. Furthermore, the recent war in neighboring Syria and the Islamic State They have been endangering stability for years.

In Lebanon, more or less 50% of the Christian religion (Maronites, Catholics and Orthodox) and Muslims (Shiites, Sunnis and Alawites) coexist. 6% are Druzea religious minority present mainly in Israel, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Syria and Jordan.

Lebanon, which has 5,184,418 inhabitants, today has the highest concentration of refugees per capita in the world: 1 in 4 people. Palestinian refugees alone number more than 500,000 people in Lebanon. To this figure we must add the desperate arrival years ago of around a million Syrians fleeing the war.

Another of the populations that is growing the most is that of the Iraqis, with nearly a million and a half people. Thousands of them have crossed the border to join the 50,000 who already lived in the country. Nor should we forget that Lebanon has been a host country for persecuted minorities such as Armenians (4%) and Palestinians (9.5%), the latter settled in guarded refugee camps.

Opposite effect

Now, with the threat of full-scale war, the opposite effect is occurring and thousands of people are fleeing to Syria and to other countries to escape the bombs. More than 185,000 people – mainly Syrians and Lebanese – have already fled to Syria, according to the Arab Rioja Crescent (SARC).

The reception data for foreigners contrasts with the Lebanese diaspora. No one dares to give a number, but it is estimated that there are tens of thousands of people of Lebanese origin (mostly Christians) who have packed their bags in search of a better future. Brazil is the country with the most Lebanese expatriates, followed by the United States, Canada, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. In Europe, France is the main destination with about 250,000 exiles. We must not forget that, along with Arabic, French is the most used language.

Now we have to wait and see what the reaction and role of these thousands of refugees will be in a new war – which could be very long and destructive – with Israel. Many of them already They have begun to flee by car or even on foot taking with them what they can in the face of the escalation of the conflict and the entry of Iran on the scene. The Lebanese Government estimates that there are already 1.2 million displaced people. About 60% are Syrian, while 40% are Lebanese.