Lebanon: Christians United in Refusing War

Lebanon has never been so close to a war with Israel in the last 18 years: “On the morning of July 12, 2006, two Israeli soldiers were captured by Hezbollah in the border zone separating Lebanon and Israel. Immediately afterward, the Shiite party proposed a prisoner exchange,” Le Monde diplomatique notes. The same day, “Israel launched a full-scale war against Lebanon,” with a sad toll: “1,200 dead, more than 4,000 wounded, and a million displaced.”

If the war of 2006 “revealed deep divisions among Christians,” according to CNA, this is no longer the case in 2024: “The potential war between Hezbollah and Israel is viewed as a direct continuation of its Gaza forerunner. Christian leaders grasp the gravity of the situation.”

The same source states that the “expanding violence, which could potentially involve Iran, [...] heightens the risk of a broader conflict.” This unites the Christian community, which “staunchly opposes this escalation, advocating for Lebanese neutrality.”

The Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai, repeats to anyone who will listen “the importance of keeping Lebanon out of war,” as CNA reports. “The patriarch has consistently cautioned against being drawn into a ‘blind war’ through his sermons and public statements.”

“Recently, he condemned those he described as ‘thirsty for blood,’ [...] on July 20, he reminded thousands of worshippers that Lebanon is a land of holiness, not a place for wars, destruction, and displacement.”

“Maronite bishops have echoed this position on several occasions. At their monthly meeting on Wednesday [August 7], they expressed concern about ‘the repercussions of the conflict in Gaza and southern Lebanon, and the risk of a broader escalation driven by foreign powers with interests unrelated to our homeland,’” CNA continues.

“Beyond the Church, major Christian political parties seem to share a unified stance, albeit broadly defined. [...] officials from the Lebanese Forces Party (which opposes Hezbollah and holds the largest Christian bloc in Parliament), the Free Patriotic Movement (a political ally of Hezbollah), and the Lebanese Kataeb Party (which also opposes Hezbollah) have all made it clear: They do not want Lebanon dragged into war.”

A position taken as the Lebanese resign themselves to the next military response from Hezbollah and Iran. “The tension is palpable, with tourists and expatriates departing Beirut International Airport” or moving toward safer areas of Lebanon.

CNA concludes: “With Christians firmly opposed to involving Lebanon in a conflict it can ill afford, the question remains: Will the situation be contained to limited exchanges of fire, or will diplomatic efforts fail, plunging the region into a more severe and widespread war?”