The televised intervention of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was highly anticipated in Lebanon, after the pager attack attributed to Israel. But his speech was far from unanimous.
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It was a highly anticipated speech that took place on Thursday, September 19, that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a televised speech the day after the attacks on transmission devices that left 37 dead and thousands injured. The Lebanese that franceinfo met are divided between support for the Shiite movement and fear of a regional war.
In this café in downtown Beirut, the customers are all committed to the cause of Hezbollah and its leader. Ali did not miss a single word of his speech. “When we listen to it, we feel stronger, he confides“We do not want a total war in Lebanon. What matters above all is the Palestinian people, and particularly in the Gaza Strip.”
The question many Lebanese are asking is: how can Hezbollah tolerate such an affront? Targeted assassinations, repeated Israeli bombings, booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies… a real snub for Elias, who regrets that Hassan Nasrallah is not more involved in this war. “He barks and barks, and nothing happens, he laments. “It’s a humiliation”The situation is untenable for Hezbollah, which must choose between its credibility and the stability of Lebanon.
“It’s scary, because if he starts a war, he will drag all of Lebanon with him, not just Hezbollah. It’s risky for a small country.”
Marc, student in Beirutto franceinfo
This fear is shared by many Lebanese who are helplessly watching Hezbollah embark on a warlike adventure in a conflict that is not theirs and which could cause a regional explosion.