As talks between Iran and the United States continue, uncertainty is growing on the streets of Lebanon. Miriam Younes, a social-media expert on the Arab world and the daughter of a South Lebanon Army officer, told Channel 14 on Wednesday that Lebanese citizens fear their country will become a “bargaining chip” in Iran’s hands.
Younes said many Lebanese had believed full sovereignty was within reach, but now feel that the United States has “betrayed” them. She said the strongest reactions are coming from the anti-Hezbollah camp, which feels it is “losing the momentum” it had gained. At the same time, she said the Lebanese government is trying to make clear that Hezbollah will not determine the country’s future, war, or peace.
In her view, the current struggle is also a battle of perceptions over who will ultimately control Lebanon. She said it is not realistic to expect the Lebanese army to expel Hezbollah from areas up to the Litani River or to help dismantle it, citing the army’s weakness and Hezbollah’s strong presence within it. “In the current situation it is hard to expect the weak Lebanese army, with a strong Hezbollah presence inside it, to do that alone,” she said, though she added, “I do not think it is impossible.”
Younes said the Lebanese feel “caught between a rock and a hard place” and abandoned, because there is no strong leadership giving them support or a clear plan. She compared the situation to 2000 and 2006, warning that people fear a repeat in which Hezbollah is heavily weakened, then withdraws and later returns. She also said Hezbollah wants civil war and would welcome a chance to say, “We can attack the Lebanese.” Despite the fear, she said there is open public talk in Lebanon about wanting peace and Lebanese sovereignty.
