Lebanon greets Pope Leo XIV amid war fatigue, Israeli strikes, Hezbollah defiance, US-Egypt mediation, and deep sectarian rifts. Peace hangs in balance.
Newsroom (28/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Lebanon, a nation battered by two years of war and lingering trauma from the 2020 Beirut port explosion, greets Pope Leo XIV’s arrival on November 30 with a mix of reverence and desperation. The pontiff’s three-day apostolic journey — his first abroad — encompasses Lebanon and Turkey, concluding December 2. For a population “honored” yet “exhausted,” the visit revives memories of papal trips by John Paul II and Benedict XVI, while kindling faint hopes for divine intervention in a land gripped by political paralysis, economic collapse, and security threats from Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
Christian families in the “Land of the Cedars” cling to “hope against all hope” that the pope’s presence might shift the scales toward peace. “In southern Lebanon, there are victims every day; the situation cannot continue any longer,” echoes a refrain in living rooms across the country.
Diversifying Israeli Attacks Undermine Ceasefire
A November 2023 cessation-of-hostilities agreement has proven illusory. Israeli strikes have broadened in scope and tactics, targeting infrastructure to block reconstruction. Two major construction fleets and a tar-asphalt plant in the south were obliterated — one north of the Litani River, near Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s southern residence. Analysts interpret this as a stark message: Lebanon is barred from rebuilding villages absent a formal security pact with Israel.
The Israeli military’s pursuit of Hezbollah militants and suspects persists unabated. Last week alone, nine people died in shootings at vehicles in Bint Jbeil, Naqoura, and Khiam. Defense Minister Israel Katz recently declared that Israeli forces will hold “five strategic points” in southern Lebanon “indefinitely,” irrespective of border talks. This stance strips Beirut’s government of leverage in pressuring Hezbollah to disarm.
Many observers see the bombing surge as Israel’s prelude to unilateral action, frustrated by Lebanon’s reluctance to forcibly neutralize the Iran-backed group. Compounding risks, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is slated for full withdrawal by January 2027, eroding international oversight. “Its departure would mean the end of international deterrence in the south,” an anonymous Lebanese diplomat warned. “The front lines will once again become gray areas.”
U.S. and Egyptian Mediation in a Powder Keg
U.S. special envoy Morgan Ortagus landed in Beirut yesterday, fresh from the Israeli-Lebanese border where she witnessed Katz order the killing of a suspected Hezbollah operative. Washington is advocating a bilateral surveillance mechanism between Israel and Lebanon under U.S. auspices — a proposal that stokes Hezbollah’s suspicions, even as some party figures acknowledge its merit.
“You don’t negotiate with a friend,” said Justice Minister Adel Nassar, aligned with the Kataeb party. “There is a long way to go from negotiations to peace or normalization.” Nassar and others favor reviving the 1949 Israeli-Lebanese armistice. Analyst Scarlett Haddad told AsiaNews that the strikes and Ortagus mission aim to compel direct talks. “How will Lebanon react? Will these pressures escalate and turn into war? All these questions are legitimate and all scenarios are possible.”
Egypt enters the fray tomorrow with General Hassan Mahmoud Rachad, intelligence chief and envoy of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, seeking to broker Israel-Hezbollah peace. Cairo, pivotal in Israel-Hamas truces, aims to contain spillover. “Egypt is one of the few states capable of simultaneously engaging with Tel Aviv, Washington, and Beirut,” a European diplomat said. “Its role could be decisive.” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam will soon visit Cairo for related discussions.
Domestic Rifts Deepen Ahead of Elections
Internally, divisions widen between Christians, Druze, and Sunnis versus the Shiite Hezbollah-Amal bloc. Hezbollah has reversed course, vowing to retain arms despite UN Security Council Resolution 1701, citing ongoing Israeli occupation.
This defiance extends to parliament, where Berri blocks an electoral amendment backed by 67 deputies. The measure would allow expatriate voting in residence countries, potentially eroding Hezbollah-Amal dominance over Shiite seats and liberating the community from Tehran’s influence. Berri’s refusal flouts constitutional norms, paralyzing institutions ahead of May 2026 elections.
Papal Diplomacy at a Historic Crossroads
Prime Minister Salam met Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on October 25 to finalize “spiritual and logistical preparations.” Helicopter travel and heightened security, including for an interfaith event in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, are planned. Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Paolo Borgia yesterday visited Sheikh Ali el-Khabtib, head of the Higher Shiite Council, to build confidence.
“I come to Lebanon as a brother among brothers,” the pope said during his October 19 Angelus. “I pray that this country will rediscover its role as a message of coexistence and peace.” Invoking “Blessed are the peacemakers,” he underscores peace as “handmade” craftsmanship requiring diplomacy, trust, and prayer.
Highlights include reflection at the Beirut port blast site; an open-air Mass; visits to Annaya Monastery and the Convent of the Cross; and the financially strapped “House of Suffering.” Amid UNIFIL’s exit, Israeli escalation, U.S.-Egyptian mediation, Vatican efforts, and internal fractures, Lebanon stands at a pivotal juncture. As one anonymous Maronite bishop said: “For God, nothing is impossible.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files form Asianews.it
Related Images:
