"The problem is that there is a risk of a migratory collapse and therefore of seeing a repeat of what happened years ago, when millions of Syrians moved to Lebanon and Europe". Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, raised the alarm. Currently, there are no specific indications or intelligence alerts, only scenario evaluations—possibly even more dire than the already concerning assessments of a few weeks ago. With Lebanon clinging to a fragile truce, it is unlikely that Beirut can again serve as a buffer zone for Syrians seeking safety and refuge, as it did in 2015. The exodus, which currently includes over three million Syrians compelled to leave the nation, has the potential to reach biblical dimensions. A clear measure of this is the data on arrivals in Italy. If Syrians comprised 6% of the shipwrecked individuals who disembarked in 2023, they comprise 19% as of November 15, 2024. For several months now, emigration from Lebanon have resumed. Entire families are escaping, with an increasing number reaching Lampedusa or the shores of Calabria. Very few settle in Italy; almost all are “transit migrants” heading to Germany and Northern Europe. They bring everything with them, including their pets, and many know they will never return.
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