Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said that his country firmly rejects all attempts to settle Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, local news outlets have reported.

In statements release during a meeting with his German counterpart, Haiko Mas, the Lebanese FM reiterated his country’s categorical refusal of any attempt to have Palestinian refugees settle in Lebanon.

“Lebanon has paid the price for the Palestinian and Syrian refugee crises ensuing from chronic conflicts in the region”, said Bassil, adding that 40% of people in Lebanon are refugees.

UNRWA figures indicate that there are about 470,000 Palestinian refugees registered with the Agency in Lebanon.

According to the UN Agency, 62% of Palestinian refugees live in 12 camps scattered across the Lebanese territories, 160,000 of them suffer from poverty while 7.9% live below the poverty line.

Palestinian refugees have often voiced firm condemnation of ongoing pressure by the US and Israel to have them settle in other destinations, saying such an attempt strikes at the foundations of their inalienable and non-negotiable right of return to their homeland—Palestine.