Germany is currently home to over 47,000 Lebanese nationals who are closely following the developments in the Middle East with fear, especially after the deadly attacks in Lebanon by Israel. Shahed Naji, a Lebanese national living in Berlin, has been anxiously checking the news every day to stay updated on the situation back home. His nephew Yahya, who was studying in Beirut, has fled to the north for safety and is now considering moving to Germany for his studies due to the escalating attacks. However, despite the German government allowing Israeli visitors to stay temporarily without a residence permit following the attacks in Israel, there are currently no such regulations in place for Lebanese citizens.
With the rise of far-right political parties like Alternative for Germany (AfD), Germany has been tightening its migration policies, making it potentially difficult for Lebanese nationals to enter the country. The Interior Ministry has reported an increase in border checks and a lack of available statistics on how many Lebanese nationals have applied for asylum this month. Naji, who hopes to bring his family to safety in Germany, is skeptical about the current political atmosphere and believes that drastic changes are needed for Lebanon refugees to be granted asylum in Germany. Amidst the uncertainty, Naji continues to monitor the situation in Lebanon and remains hopeful for a positive change in the future.
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