Sparking tensions: Dawra incident and Lebanon's refugee challenge

A video clip that showed a woman accidentally hitting a young man on a motorcycle was the spark that ignited the incident in Dawra on Thursday night. 

Although the two individuals in the video appear Lebanese, the situation escalated into a Lebanese-Syrian clash.

An eyewitness stated that the woman was heading to a shop in the area, and the shop owner came out to support her after she faced verbal insults from some young men who were companions of the man on the motorcycle.

Syrian workers who work for the shop owner joined him, and this is when the dispute erupted, becoming a clash between Lebanese youth and Syrian workers.

The incident that started in the afternoon on Thursday continued into the evening, escalating from verbal altercations to the burning of several shops in the neighborhood.

The army intervened to calm the situation and arrested 8 Syrian workers whose papers were illegal. They will be handed over to General Security after investigations are completed. The shop owner will either be given a deadline to rectify their status, or the workers will be deported to their home country.

The incident in the neighborhood is not an isolated case; it's a sample of what most cities and towns in Lebanon are experiencing.

There's simmering tension due to the worsening displacement crisis.

However, it's a warning bell because any personal dispute that turns into a Lebanese-Syrian confrontation will cost the citizens on both sides, and they will be the victims.

The responsibility for the worsening crisis lies with the Lebanese authorities in all their factions and levels, the Syrian authorities, and the international community. So, will anyone take action?