It is important to give a brief history about Lebanon.

Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that is currently listed as being Christian majority. Christianity in this region dates back to the first century and has had a storied history. When Lebanon formed as a nation in the 1920s under the French, Lebanism usurped Arabism in the country. In the National Pact, an unwritten gentleman’s agreement between the Maronite President Bshara el-Khoury and Sunni Prime Minister Riad as-Solh, the seats of presidency were distributed between the main Lebanese religious denominations. According to the pact, the President of the Lebanese Republic would always be a Maronite Christian. Furthermore, the pact also states that Lebanon is a state with an “Arab face,” and not an Arab identity. The role of religion is very important to take into consideration with regards to the refugee crisis in Lebanon.