Lebanese town bans Muslims from buying, renting property

BEIRUT: The case of Hadat, a once-Christian Lebanese town that bars Muslims from buying or renting property, has sparked a national outcry.

It reflects the country’s rapidly changing demographic make-up against the backdrop of deep-rooted sectarian divisions that once erupted into a 15-year civil war that left more than 100,000 people dead.

Lebanese Christian communities feel under siege as



Muslims leave overcrowded areas for once predominantly Christian neighborhoods.

Mohammed Awwad and his fiancee, both Muslims, recently found an affordable apartment for rent online in Hadat, southeast of Beirut, but were stunned when they found that Muslims are not allowed to settle in the town.

Hadat is the only area where such a ban is publicly announced. Elsewhere, it’s imposed in more discreet ways.