Lebanese Christians and Sunnis: Torn Between Hezbollah’s Agenda and Netanyahu’s Threats

While Hezbollah enjoys staunch support in Shia-dominated areas, the reaction in Lebanon’s Sunni and Christian communities is more complicated. Many residents in Beirut’s Sunni-majority neighborhood of Tariq El Jdideh expressed frustration with both Hezbollah and Israel, criticizing both for dragging Lebanon into a war it did not ask for.

For Sunnis like Yusuf Habbal, who already oppose Hezbollah’s agenda, Netanyahu’s message seemed redundant. “Before Netanyahu ever spoke about Hezbollah, we were against them,” Habbal said, emphasizing that they have long been critical of Hezbollah’s military actions and political dominance. Yet, even this criticism does not translate into support for Israel.

In the Christian neighborhood of Achrafieh, the sentiment was much the same. Antoine, a Catholic retiree, articulated the futility of the situation: “We don’t have weapons, we don’t have politicians who can be truly Lebanese.” Despite the recognition that Hezbollah’s influence has deepened Lebanon’s dependency on Iran, there is little optimism that Netanyahu’s words could lead to change.

Here, the opposition to Hezbollah is not about aligning with Israel but rather a desire for a Lebanese state free from external influence — be it from Israel, Iran, or Hezbollah itself.