https://arab.news/8b7te
Looking for avenues for optimism in the regional miasma, one wonders whether Lebanon might offer up some hope. This is a country and a people who have undergone such suffering thanks to the Syrian war and consequent refugee crisis, the economic collapse and the Beirut port explosion, as well as Israel’s 2024 war on the country. The Lebanese could do with a decent break.
So, why the hint of optimism? For various reasons, there may soon be a pivotal moment where a hitherto weak and fragile state can assert its sovereign control and decouple itself from the aggressive ambitions of external powers, not least Israel and Iran.
Firstly, in President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who have been at the helm for about a year, Lebanon has a ruling duo with widespread local, regional and international credibility. This may not last, so the two need backing not just economically but politically.
To profit from this narrow window, major international actors must pressure Israel to honor its ceasefire obligations
