Lebanese MB takes advantage of Palestinian refugees crisis to create sectarian strife
The Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon is seeking to resurface at the political scene again. The group took advantage of a campaign that was launched by the Lebanese Ministry of Labor to combat illegal foreign labor. This campaign has required Palestinian refugees to legalize their situations in a 6-month period, sparking protests and sit-ins and creating chaos and disorders.
After the Muslim Brotherhood communicated with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the Future Movement denounced involving the Sunni community in the Palestinian refugees issue, especially that the issue was submitted to the Cabinet, because of the sensitivity of the issue.
According to the decision by the Lebanese Ministry of Labor, employers are forbidden to employ non-Lebanese workers without obtaining a licensed work permit, which might lead to the closure of hundreds of institutions and sectors occupied by Palestinians in Lebanon.
Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabour has urged the Lebanese government to exclude Palestinians from this procedures, given they were forcibly removed from their land, while the Ministry of Labor responded by granting Palestinian refugees two to six months period to settle their situation and to stop any action against them.
For his part, Lebanese MP Ziad Aswad denounced the state of chaos caused by the Muslim Brotherhood by organizing sit-ins and demonstrations following the decision, saying, “It appears the Muslim Brotherhood is stronger than Lebanon.
In a Twitter statement, Aswad further added, “Of course Palestinian workers have the right to love Palestine more than Lebanon, but since you are in Lebanon, respect its laws and do not protest that it is in the interest of Lebanese. Moreover, can you protest the laws of certain other countries that prioritize their interests over yours?”
Lebanese political analyst Fadi Aacom said in an interview with The Reference that the Muslim Brotherhood only move in accordance with their own interests, which is the reason behind their exclusion during the latest municipal elections, limiting their political capabilities but did not limit their spread.
He also added that the brotherhood sought to continue relations with Hariri after a year-long break, stressing that this came after a feeling that the Sunni front has weakened in Lebanon before Hezbollah that aims at weakens the Sunni community to control the political scene.
