Lebanese politician calls for closing Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps to prevent coronavirus spread

Beirut (QNN)- The executive chairman of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, called on Friday for several measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, including the closure of Palestinian and Syria refugee camps and preventing refugees from entering or leaving them.
Geagea said in a statement, at his party’s headquarters criticizing the governmental measures taken to deal with the virus, that “there should be measures regarding Palestinian refugee camps and the Syrian presence in Lebanon, namely, closing all camps and preventing everyone from entering or leaving them”, as he said. “The state has to provide them with whatever they need”, he added.
“I saw to be clear and explicit because we are living through days that do not support diplomacy and favoritism as there are Lebanese people, who are supposed to stay alive, but they will, God forbid, die unless necessary measures were taken, which would be a crime under the law.”
Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Tayseer Khaled, condemned Geagea’s statements that “discriminate between Lebanese and non-Lebanese people in such humanitarian issue” and called it “racist” and “inhumane”.
Hamas leader, Ra’fat Marrah, said that Geagea’s statement is rejected and pointless. “Geafea’s statements are incompatible with human rights and laws”, Marrah said. “It was more appropriate that he calls the Lebanese government and the United Nations to assume their responsibilities.”
Geagea, a current politician and former warlord, is well-known for his role in the Lebanese civil war. His party, the Lebanese Forces, allied itself with the occupation state during its 1982 invasion and occupation of Lebanon and carried out the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Chatila camps. He was also sentenced for 11 years in jail for murdering prime minister Rashid Karami and Danny Chamoun, a prominent politician, as well as of killing scores of Lebanese.