Christians in Lebanon stand firm against war as conflict heats up

ACI MENA, Sep 29, 2024 / 07:00 am

“No to war!” has become a rallying cry among Lebanon’s Christian communities, who have maintained this stance since clashes between Hezbollah and Israel began heating up. As large parts of the country are being pulled into the escalating military conflict, Christians in Lebanon are preparing to endure a new period of destruction, fear, and displacement.

The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel is spreading to different areas of the country, and missiles launched from Lebanon are reaching further into Israel while Israeli strikes are targeting specific areas across Lebanon that are linked to Hezbollah, including the south, the Bekaa region, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Despite this being the worst escalation since 2006, it’s not yet considered a “full-scale war.” 

While Christian towns have so far avoided direct shelling, they haven’t escaped the consequences. In a situation all too familiar to the Lebanese since 1975, an important question arises: How are Christian communities coping with the growing conflict?

Christian areas under threat

The rapidly changing situation on the ground is causing fear among Christians. They’re worried about the failure to establish a cease-fire and the potential for things to spiral out of control. These concerns shape their daily lives, which are now punctuated by the sounds of nearby airstrikes and warplanes flying overhead.

In a recent development with clear political implications, Israeli aircraft targeted a town in the Keserwan district of Mount Lebanon for the first time last Wednesday. This area is known as the heart of the Christian community due to its large Maronite population and the presence of important religious sites like the Maronite Patriarchate and the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. 

However, the district also includes some villages with a Shiite Muslim majority, including Al-Ma’aysarah. Located about 24 miles from Beirut, this town was directly hit in a raid targeting a Hezbollah official. 

Raquel, who lives on the coast of Keserwan and works at a Catholic school, told ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner: “We’re trying to live normally as much as possible, but we’re consumed by fear. Nowhere feels safe anymore after the bombing of a nearby town [Al-Ma’aysarah]. We want a normal life. We want our children back in school. We pray that God will save us from this madness.”

Soon after, the area around the town of Ras Ashtar, on the road to Annaya in the Jbeil district, was also targeted. This road leads to the Monastery of Mar Maroun Annaya, where the tomb of St. Charbel is located. The sound of shelling echoed through neighboring Christian villages and reached the well-known monastery. 

The local sentiment is unanimous: “We’re not afraid. St. Charbel is here with us. Bombing a town on the road to his shrine won’t stop people from visiting the monastery. Our prayers won’t stop. Lebanon is under the protection of its saint,” they told ACI Mena.

Displaced to safer areas

Christian cities and towns across Lebanon are now crowded with people displaced from southern villages under attack. More than 90,000 people have been displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration. Rental homes, public schools, and hotels have opened their doors to host them. However, this hasn’t been the case everywhere. 

ACI Mena learned that some villages in the Keserwan area refused to rent out empty houses, fearing that displaced people might have connections to militant groups, potentially putting their village at risk. Both Shiites and the few Christians living in border villages have been displaced, while most Christians had left before the recent military escalation. 

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi thanked “all those who are receiving our suffering people in their homes in the safe areas” while emphasizing “the need for an immediate cease-fire to avoid more victims, wounded, and displaced people without shelter.” 

Catholic schools haven’t opened their doors to the displaced, announcing that “from Monday, Sept. 30, education might resume either in person, virtually, or in a hybrid mode” depending on each school’s circumstances and location.

A cautious exodus from the capital

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Beirut and its suburbs are seeing some Christian families move to their summer homes in rural areas. Many believe it’s necessary to distance themselves from the capital, its key facilities, and its southern suburbs. 

However, this movement is mainly a precautionary measure, especially if attacks increase. Many fear a repeat of the 2006 war scenario, where bridges and vital roads connecting districts were bombed, making it impossible to leave Beirut for Mount Lebanon and the north. During that conflict, many were trapped in their homes, isolated and afraid of dying on the roads.

Airport and market scenes

At Beirut International Airport departure halls are packed, while arrival terminals are empty. This scene, along with most airlines still operating in Beirut canceling flights, adds to the anxiety. It dampens hope for some Christians who want to leave the country if a large-scale war breaks out. A quick search for flights leaving Beirut shows they’re all booked until mid-October, with no seats available.

Stores and pharmacies in all Christian areas are seeing people rush to stock up on food in preparation for the worst, as fears of shortages grow. Retailers are taking advantage of the situation by raising prices in a country with an already-struggling economy. A quick tour of the most prominent stores over the past two days reveals shelves being emptied daily. Some basic items like bread are out of stock.

The situation at gas stations is similar. The owner of a station in Sin el-Fil (Mount Lebanon), which connects Beirut to the Metn and Keserwan districts and extends to the north, told ACI Mena: “We’ve seen a rush to buy gasoline and even diesel in the past three days. As winter approaches, many people fear being stuck in their homes in central and upper Metn without heating if war breaks out.” He confirmed that “there’s enough stock, but Lebanese people’s fear drives them to overstock every time, worried about running out or price gouging.”

Amid these unsettling scenes experienced by the Lebanese in general and Christians in particular, some contradictions are clearly visible in parts of Beirut and most areas of Keserwan, Jbeil (Mount Lebanon), and Batroun (North) that are rarely shown in Western media. Life goes on as normal in most of these Christian-majority cities and towns; restaurants still have customers, traffic is normal with the usual rush-hour congestion, and stores remain open. 

War has become the main topic of conversation for residents, but this grim reality doesn’t stop them from working. With great caution, they wait to see the effects of international efforts to de-escalate the situation, saying: “Enough death, destruction, and displacement!”

This article was first published by ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.