Many people in Lebanon trust the terrorist group Hezbollah more than the authorities in Beirut, who they see as weak. The country is deeply divided. Is a new civil war looming?
Dozens of tents are pitched in a parking lot next to Beirut's seafront. Refugees from the south of the country are now living there, ARD reports. They have no electricity, bathrooms or toilets, and no running water. Marwa, 30, carries water in buckets to make tea on a gas stove outside. She says they are afraid to return to the south, even though a truce is in effect. "We will only return home when things are truly calm, when there is a lasting ceasefire. We cannot trust the current situation, we are afraid for our children," she says, adding that her home has suffered serious damage. That is why she and her family prefer to stay in this tent camp in the Lebanese capital.
A fragile ceasefire and mutual accusations
Israeli drones continue to hover over the destroyed streets of southern Lebanon - despite the ceasefire, which is extremely fragile. Mutual attacks continue, one journalist was killed by Israeli shelling and another was injured. The Lebanese Health Ministry accuses Israel of deliberately preventing emergency teams from rescuing the two reporters by continuing the shelling.
The pro-Iranian armed militia Hezbollah, however, enjoys widespread support among Lebanese, who believe that the terrorist group is protecting them better from possible Israeli plans for occupation than the Lebanese state, which they consider too weak. "I have no trust in the state. What are they doing for us? How are they protecting us? Not at all. I only trust Hezbollah," says Mahnoud, who also lives in the Beirut tent camp.
The state does not want conflict with Hezbollah
Many Lebanese do not approve of Beirut's decision to hold direct talks with Israel, ARD notes. Some believe the government is committing treason. The government claims to be defending Lebanon's interests by opposing the occupation of the southern part of the country and is seeking an extension of the ceasefire.
Prime Minister Salam is adamant that diplomacy is not a sign of weakness, but an attempt to protect the people of Lebanon and the country's sovereignty. The country's leader does not want a confrontation with Hezbollah either. "I would prefer to avoid this, but I will not allow myself to be pressured - neither by Hezbollah nor by those who play with the fire of civil war," Salam says.
Fear of civil war
The fear of a new civil war has been felt in Lebanon in recent weeks. The government in Beirut is too unstable to disarm Hezbollah, which is Israel's main demand, ARD writes. And many Lebanese do not want this to happen at all. There is a serious sense of disunity in the country. Observers are calling for a new rupture to be avoided, citing the 15-year civil war, the scars of which are still visible in Lebanon.
“Don't repeat this”, says Ziad Saab, who fought in the war and is the founder of the “Fighters for Peace” initiative. According to him, people do not realize how far the war will take them. Anyone who thinks that the civil war will help is deeply mistaken, Saab told ARD. “We have failed the state, we have torn it apart. And he appeals to politicians: “You are responsible for what will follow. Stop spreading hatred!”.
What does the future of Lebanon look like?
Beirut is facing a huge challenge, observers believe. Hezbollah is a state within a state, and those who dare to openly criticize the armed group demand that its enormous power be taken away. Critics say Hezbollah is holding Lebanon hostage and dragging the country into a war with Israel.
However, opinions on the future of the country are divided, political scientist Khalil Nasrallah told ARD. "On the main issues, there is consensus among the Lebanese - the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of prisoners, the restoration of the destruction, the cessation of the war" - these are points on which everyone agrees. But on what should follow, differences appear, and the problem is that Israel wants to use direct negotiations to increase the pressure even more, the expert believes.
In the tent camp on Beirut's seafront, people do not have the strength to talk about Lebanon's political future. They trust Hezbollah and believe that the group is the only one that can help them return to their homes. For these people, compromise with Israel is out of the question.