US Vice President JD Vance is leading US talks with Iran. He is also drawn into discussions about Lebanon, in part because Iran has tried to salvage Hezbollah’s role there. Vance has taken a keen interest in Christians in Lebanon. To understand why Vance’s outreach matters, it’s worth looking at history.
Historically the majority community, Christians in Lebanon have suffered setbacks in the last century. For instance, they lost out in the Lebanese civil war and after the Taif Accords they saw their traditional role running the presidency slightly weakened in favor of a Sunni-held prime minister’s office.
In recent years the Christian community has been split between some who supported Hezbollah and some who oppose Hezbollah. Former President Michel Aoun allied with Hezbollah in the early 2000s. He led his Free Patriotic Movement into this relationship for a variety of reasons.
One was that he may have believed Hezbollah could better protect Lebanon from extremists, such as jihadists during the era of Al Qaeda and ISIS. However, this also led to the Christian political camp being divided. Other Christian smaller groups such as the Frangieh bloc and its Marada movement also worked with Hezbollah.
Lebanese Christians suffer under Hezbollah repression – Geagea
Historic Christian parties such as Kataeb movement and its Lebanese Forces, mostly backed by Maronite Christians, did not back Hezbollah. Samir Geagea has been a key figure in this movement for decades. A key figure in the Lebanese civil war he became a politicians in the 1990s but was imprisoned under accusations from the civil war.
He spent 11 years in prison, most of it in solitary confinement, only to finally be released after the Syrian regime was forced out of Lebanon in 2005. Since then he has risen again to leadership.
L’Orient Today noted this week that “the unprecedented comments made on Saturday by U.S. Vice President JD Vance regarding Christians in Lebanon sparked reactions from both ends of the political spectrum in the country. The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, sent a letter Monday to the US official, thanking him for his statements and urging him to completely separate the Lebanese issue from negotiations with Iran.”
The report goes on to note that “on Saturday, during an interview on American television, JD Vance addressed Lebanese Christians, assuring them they have ‘many friends in the American government who want to bring peace.’” Vance noted that Hezbollah had hid among Christians in Lebanon.
Geagea noted in his post about Vance that “Lebanese Christians have, throughout modern Lebanese history, and will continue to constitute, an element of stability, openness, moderation, and cultural and civilizational prosperity in this East. Lebanon has distinguished itself, thanks to its pluralism, public freedoms, open system, and cultural and economic role, with a unique status that has made it a space of radiance in a turbulent environment.”
He went on to note that “it is true that the past four decades have been among the most difficult stages experienced by the Lebanese in general, and Christians in particular, as a result of the establishment of ‘Hezbollah,’ as a military and security organization, which has usurped national decision-making, weakened legitimate institutions, prevented the establishment of an effective and capable state, and furthermore, embroiled Lebanon in conflicts and wars linked to Iranian agendas that do not represent the interests or aspirations of the Lebanese.”
“This has had a negative impact on the Lebanese economy, reduced job opportunities, and driven large numbers of Lebanese, including a significant proportion of Christians, to emigrate in search of safety, stability, and opportunities for a dignified life.”
He concluded that “on my behalf and on behalf of a broad segment of the Lebanese people in general, and Christians in particular, who aspire to the establishment of an effective and capable state in their homeland, my deepest thanks and appreciation for the friendship and concern you have shown toward the Christians of Lebanon, hoping that the United States of America will remain a key partner in helping Lebanon reclaim its natural role as a model of freedom, pluralism, and peace in the Middle East.”
This dialogue is important and it shows that Vance is also listening to Lebanese Christians. What comes next may hinge on this.
