Israel Palestine Current Conflict (Lebanese Perspectives in different countries)

In the United States, the government and the citizens have had different responses in regard to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. While the government of the US has taken on providing Israel with billions of dollars in military, economic, and missile defense funding, citizens across the country have been protesting the United States’ and Israel’s actions against the Palestinians. The situation is different in Lebanon, Israel is considered an official enemy to the country and its people. Most Lebanese do consider Israel an enemy just like it is stated in their constitution, while others do prefer to be neutral with conflict.

Perspective of a Lebanese living in the US:

The Middle East has long been of great importance to the United States as it uses this region to secure crucial energy resources. Because of this, the United States tries to “resolve” the conflict between Israel and Palestine by funding Israel when in reality, it is only making matters worse. Although Israel’s army is much stronger than Palestine’s militant group, Hamas, the Palestinians have the right to fight for their land, their homes, and their future. So, the United States’ funding is not a resolution, but a large spill of gasoline into an already enormous fire.

Currently, any resolutions that have been mentioned by the United States in order to solve the conflict between Israel and Palestine have been one-sided and dismissed by the Palestinians. For instance, a peace plan known as “the deal of the century” that was brought up during Donald Trump’s presidency was presented with a large flaw as it gave former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu everything he wanted and offered the Palestinians very little.

Moreover, the Israelis positions on the Palestinians are America’s positions as the top United States priorities have always been Israel’s wishes. Plans encouraged by the United States to end the conflict have always contained factors that solely benefit Israel’s government and further deteriorate the Palestine state. After it was realized that stability in the Middle East is of interest to the Americans because of the global oil market, the United States began to see it as strategic to support states such as Israel.

As a Lebanese living in the United States, it is extremely tiring as people are constantly protesting for our rights back home along with the rights of surrounding Middle Eastern countries. In the midst of the Israel and Palestine conflict, civilian protests broke out across the United States against Biden’s decision to send funds to Israel. Living very close to a mostly Arab populated community, I witnessed one of the largest protests where citizens were fighting for the rights of Palestinians. Members of the community confronted President Biden while he was in town about the Israel and Palestine Conflict. Middle Easterners living in the United States are doing all they can since they live in a country where their voices have a better chance of being heard.

In order to solve this violent conflict, the United States needs to cut off all funding that is going toward Israel’s weapons because it is making matters worse by encouraging a more violent clash. If the United States is going to intervene, it must do so in a way where both Israel and Palestine get what they desire instead of implementing a one-sided resolution.

Perspective of a Lebanese in Lebanon:

Until today, Israel still occupies seven Lebanese towns and is not willing to free them peacefully, just like the whole south of Lebanon until what is called by Lebanese ” The Liberation War” that happened in 2000 and resulted in the Lebanese Resistance militias victory. Based on the long history between the two countries, Lebanese believe that Israel isn’t a peace caller country. Since 1948, Lebanese have participated Palestinians in their fight against the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, this is because of the close relationship between Palestineans and Lebanese (and other Arabs as well)

After multiple conflicts and wars between 1948 and 1990, the Lebanese government added to its constitution that Israel is an enemy to the country based on two causes. First, it occupies Arabic lands(Palestine), and second, it occupies Lebanese lands. Since this addition to the constitutions, Lebanese are not allowed to interact with Israelis at anyplace and anytime. Also, Lebanon refers to Israel as “the occupying entity” giving it no right of existence.

To continue with, Lebanon has always ensured that Palestineans do have all the right and priority to choose their destiny and govern and rule all their lands. Jews are and were always welcomed to live with Arabs just like many other worldwide minorities that came into Arab lands (Armenians for example). However, they have no right to use violence against Arabs and take over their lands. Lebanese do refuse the two-state solution considering that Israel has no right of existence just because Western countries wanted so.

During the last conflict that happened between Palestine and Israel, Lebanese protested at the southern border multiple days showing support to Palestineans. Unfortunately, 21-year-old Mohammad Tahhan was shot and killed by Israeli troops after he and others protested in support of Palestinians. No actions were done by UNIFIL towards this crime. Besides, several protests took place in different places in Lebanon for the same cause. I did participate in organizing and attended some of them. Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinean refugees of different ages did participate in those protests just to prove their support to the cause. This did not only happen in Lebanon but in many other countries in the Middle East and the Arab World as well.

Instead of supporting Israel militarily, politically, and economically, the Lebanese believe that the US should play a major role in achieving a solution. Without a doubt, Lebanon refuses the two-state solution and encourages justice to be made first. After this, Jews ( and as always) are welcomed to live peacefully in Palestine, under the Palestinean flag. Just to make it clear, we (as Lebanese) are not Anti-Semites, but we are Anti-Zionists.

In conclusion, it is clear that the Lebanese have almost the same opinion and reaction to whatever is happening in Palestine. Even though they live far away from each other and have different media.

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Written by Adonis A. and Leya A.