Diplomatic initiatives to rehabilitate the Lebanese state as a credible actor in matters of security, deterrence, and stability seek to correct unrealistic assessments of the possibility that the army alone can dismantle the pro-Iranian movement. Meanwhile, the south of the country is sinking into sad abandonment.

Alert in Lebanon over the wave of protests in the Islamic Republic. Institutional leaders and the population are closely following developments. Aoun's appeal to the Shiite movement: ‘From the logic of force to the force of logic’. Phase 2 of the disarmament plan is underway, while Israeli bombing continues.

Informed by Damascus and Arab and international media outlets, Lebanese authorities are doubling their surveillance efforts. However, “gaps” in the border between the two countries are hindering the mission. According to the UN, since Assad's fall, 69,000 Syrians, mainly Alawites, have fled to Lebanon, although the data are partial and difficult to verify.

Despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, the conflict continues on the southern border. Economic and human interdependence in the region is such that when one village suffers, everyone suffers. Garlands and nativity scenes timidly decorate the deserted alleys. The Christmas market at the Sacred Hearts School. ‘For us, it means telling the world that we are here for life.’

With the appointment of a civilian, former ambassador Simon Karam, to the committee monitoring the November 2024 ceasefire, Beirut is breaking free from Tehran. Contacts between Lebanon and Israel continue, although unresolved issues remain, especially on the border. Hezbollah is critical of what it calls a "free gift" to the Jewish state, rejecting disarmament north of the Litani River. The rift between the Party of God and Nabih Berry's Shia Amal movement is widening.

“Let us cast off the armor of our ethnic and political divisions, open our religious confessions to mutual encounter,” Leo said to Lebanon’s leaders. For the pontiff, peace must be both the goal and the means. About 150,000 people attended the final Mass on the waterfront. Last night, dinner was held at the nunciature with some Muslim religious leaders.