Banjamin nPolitical Disconnection: The Gulf Between Netanyahu’s Words and Beirut’s Reality

In the wake of Israel’s latest escalation with Hezbollah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a direct video appeal to the Lebanese people. His message was clear: rise up against Hezbollah, or face destruction on the scale of Gaza. Yet in Beirut, from Sunni-dominated Tariq El Jdideh to the Christian neighborhoods of Achrafieh, Netanyahu’s plea landed with a resounding thud.

Beirut residents, weary from years of political instability, corruption, and war, viewed Netanyahu’s message with indifference, skepticism, and outright rejection. The call to rise against Hezbollah, a group deeply intertwined with Lebanon’s complex political and sectarian fabric, felt detached from the everyday struggles of the Lebanese people.

For many, the conflict is not simply about Hezbollah versus Israel; it’s about survival, sovereignty, and an enduring struggle against external interference. Netanyahu’s speech, framed as a call to arms, failed to address the underlying socio-political realities faced by Lebanese citizens, many of whom distrust all sides — Hezbollah, the Lebanese government, and Israel alike.

This political disconnection reveals a deeper truth: Lebanon’s issues cannot be solved by external interventions or directives. As one resident in Achrafieh bluntly stated, “We will do that on our own.” The people of Lebanon, fractured and frustrated, are far more concerned with internal reforms and securing stability than with taking up Netanyahu’s call to rise.