State Security and Refugees: Operationalizing the ‘Ladder of Options’ by the Government of Lebanon

This article attempts to contribute to the debate around the study of refugees and the security implications involving “refugee militants/terrorists.” It situates the debate within the context of Syrian refugees who have voluntarily or involuntarily joined militant groups and Lebanon’s subsequent security efforts as a host country. It tries to identify the various measures employed by the Government of Lebanon through the operationalization of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees “Ladder of Options” in managing security related issues involving Syrian refugees-turned-terrorists. It intends to i) raise awareness of the impact of terrorism on host countries and their dilemmas in reconciling refugee rights and counter-terrorism for security reasons; and ii) illustrate specific policies and interventions made by Lebanon in this regard; and iii) call for further studies on the subject in Middle Eastern countries grappling with internal political challenges at the same time as they are experiencing the huge burden of many refugees. The research concludes with a suggestion to re-examine the “Ladder of Options” in light of Levantine host States’ experiences and to develop a ladder of options framework for combating terrorism in post-emergency refugee settlements to safeguard State sovereignty, international security and refugee protection.