{"id":116029,"date":"2024-09-26T17:05:46","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T15:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=116029"},"modified":"2024-09-25T14:05:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T12:05:38","slug":"29-05-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=116029","title":{"rendered":"The Persecution of Christians in Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"center alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.reunion68.com\/Biuletyn\/img\/algem.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"35%\"><\/a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000080;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #000080; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2023\/05\/25\/the-persecution-of-christians-in-lebanon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Persecution of Christians in Lebanon<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ioannis E. Kotoulas <span style=\"color: #808080;\">[ May 25, 2023 ]<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2023-01-24T101004Z_1_LYNXMPEJ0N0AD_RTROPTP_4_LEBANON-CRISIS-BLAST-1.jpg\" width=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2023-01-24T101004Z_1_LYNXMPEJ0N0AD_RTROPTP_4_LEBANON-CRISIS-BLAST-1.jpg\"><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>Army soldiers are deployed after gunfire erupted near the site of a protest that was getting underway against Judge Tarek Bitar, who was investigating the 2020 port explosion, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. Photo: REUTERS\/Mohamed Azakir\/File Photo<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"post_content\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Christians in Lebanon face an existential crisis, as their country increasingly has become controlled by Hezbollah terrorists who answer to Iran, prompting a mass exodus. Over the years, Lebanese Christians have faced multiple attacks, now they also face a new threat in the form of a rapidly declining proportion in relation to the Islamic element in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Violence targeting Christians is consistent:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>In 2018, the Hezbollah-affiliated Amal movement&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lbcgroup.tv\/news\/d\/breaking-news\/359816\/video-minister-bassil-visits-mirna-chalouhi-center\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.lbcgroup.tv\/news\/d\/breaking-news\/359816\/video-minister-bassil-visits-mirna-chalouhi-center\/en&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1scXaO19KbCyQ4EgPzRoUu\">attacked<\/a>&nbsp;the headquarters of a Christian political party in east Beirut, throwing stones and firing gunshots. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>In November 2019, Hezbollah and Amal members&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lorientlejour.com\/article\/1196250\/affrontements-dans-le-centre-ville-de-beyrouth-le-jour-dapres.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.lorientlejour.com\/article\/1196250\/affrontements-dans-le-centre-ville-de-beyrouth-le-jour-dapres.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0z3hQe4soO27kWr6NhslJB\">attacked<\/a>&nbsp;a Christian neighborhood in an effort to intimidate Christian protesters who were demonstrating against Lebanon\u2019s political leadership.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>In the recent past there have also been Islamist-inspired&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-36637378\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-36637378&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1abVBD3jdsDdCByCTqmRqX\">suicide attacks<\/a>&nbsp;against Christians.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">On top of those threats, many younger Christians are leaving the country because of its broken economy. Many \u201cunfortunately now feel like strangers in their own home country,\u201d Maronite priest Jad Chlouk&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/aleteia.org\/2021\/01\/15\/lebanon-the-number-of-christians-in-the-country-is-decreasing-day-by-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/aleteia.org\/2021\/01\/15\/lebanon-the-number-of-christians-in-the-country-is-decreasing-day-by-day\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0XigUpn4HVu0Hm6PCLCny_\">said<\/a>&nbsp;in 2021. \u201cThis is negatively affecting the whole Christian community, because it is losing most of its brightest and best, and especially its young people, who are supposed to be the future of the Christians here. Hence, the number of Christians in the country is decreasing day by day, and this is badly affecting the situation and causing still more pressure for those who remain, in a situation where they might soon suffer from persecution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">After a decade of Syrian civil war and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lebanon hosts the&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/lb\/at-a-glance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/lb\/at-a-glance&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0rfAU74e2mVWlW3-pgiYnT\">largest number<\/a>&nbsp;of refugees per capita and per square kilometer of any country in the world. The vast majority of these newcomers are Muslims.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Syrian-Refugee-Crisis-Lebanon-Multidisciplinary\/dp\/1498535127\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Syrian-Refugee-Crisis-Lebanon-Multidisciplinary\/dp\/1498535127&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3TmttkjcJOrmFzlhubtWqL\">Syrian refugees<\/a>&nbsp;in Lebanon have put a great&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-65258811\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-65258811&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3nnBthMO4-Zyax-ck0MLIp\">financial burden<\/a>&nbsp;on the state\u2019s already fragile economy, and have increased the anxiety of Lebanese Christians who fear that they will be overwhelmed by the newcomers. As a result, both church authorities and some political parties are calling for&nbsp; refugees to be repatriated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">In his Easter message, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.middleeastmonitor.com\/20230412-lebanon-head-of-maronite-church-calls-for-deportation-of-syrian-refugees-urges-international-assistance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.middleeastmonitor.com\/20230412-lebanon-head-of-maronite-church-calls-for-deportation-of-syrian-refugees-urges-international-assistance\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0s0qbzzYyW1FMH5NkyaSHb\">warned<\/a>&nbsp;that Syrian refugees were increasing Lebanon\u2019s inherent problems by \u201cdraining the state\u2019s resources, disturbing social security, and competing with the Lebanese for their livelihood.\u201d Similar views were voiced by the&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/syriacpress.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/28\/christian-front-of-lebanon-calls-for-return-of-syrian-refugees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/syriacpress.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/28\/christian-front-of-lebanon-calls-for-return-of-syrian-refugees\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw025fCmCpxnaqBV0-7BcXbG\">Christian Front of Lebanon<\/a>, a&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/idc-applauds-the-inaugural-conference-of-the-christian-front-in-lebanon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/idc-applauds-the-inaugural-conference-of-the-christian-front-in-lebanon\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1hFqXaXVrEsQ2V5ofilwdM\">platform<\/a>&nbsp;uniting the various eastern Christian communities in an effort to defend their religious, social, cultural, linguistic, and national rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Lebanon\u2019s Christians are concerned not only with the financial cost, but also with further change of the country\u2019s delicate demographic balance. In 1932, the last year Lebanon had a census, Christians were in the&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lstatic.org\/PDF\/demographenglish.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.lstatic.org\/PDF\/demographenglish.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2kZcffanaJfXyUoDscOtaM\">majority<\/a>. But Christian emigration, especially during and after the bloody 1975-90 civil war that&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance\/fr\/document\/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance\/fr\/document\/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1EkaCGwWSiLRC9aDE1Q7WP\">killed<\/a>&nbsp;90,000&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance\/fr\/document\/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance\/fr\/document\/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1EkaCGwWSiLRC9aDE1Q7WP\">people<\/a>, combined with higher Muslim immigration and birth rates, have flipped the numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Lebanon remains the most&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cia.gov\/the-world-factbook\/countries\/lebanon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cia.gov\/the-world-factbook\/countries\/lebanon\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3geDTL83HQ9_ULondgCN8Z\">religiously diverse<\/a>&nbsp;country in the Middle East, with 18 state-recognized religious sects \u2014 four Muslim, 12 Christian, one Druze, and one Jewish \u2014 in a tiny territory of 4,036 square miles. Lebanon features by far the largest proportion of Christians of any country in the Middle East, but both Christians and Muslims are sub-divided into many splinter sects and denominations with often competing relations. Lebanon\u2019s Christian population include Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Melkite, Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, Assyrian, and Armenian. Now, Lebanon\u2019s unique religious diversity is under threat; the influx of more than one million Syrian refugees, who are overwhelmingly Sunni, hyperinflation and government corruption have created existential challenges for Lebanese Christians.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">A 2010 study conducted by Beirut-based Statistics Lebanon and&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/2009-2017.state.gov\/j\/drl\/rls\/irf\/2012\/nea\/208400.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/2009-2017.state.gov\/j\/drl\/rls\/irf\/2012\/nea\/208400.htm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1QNFe2yim6OXPK1j-In03v\">cited<\/a>&nbsp;by the US Department of State found that Lebanon\u2019s 4.3 million-person population was 45 percent Christian, 48 percent Muslim and 5.2 percent Druze. The downward trend continued. The&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cia.gov\/the-world-factbook\/countries\/lebanon\/#people-and-society\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cia.gov\/the-world-factbook\/countries\/lebanon\/%23people-and-society&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2khmtY8A_gjF6JGu9pKjx7\">CIA World Factbook<\/a>&nbsp;estimates Lebanon is now 67.8 percent Muslim, 32.4 percent, Christian and 4.5 percent Druze. That figure does not include Palestinian and Syrian refugee populations. \u201cLebanese Christians perceive their situation in the country as an existential battle. Surrounded by Islamic populations they have themselves adopted a siege mentality. If the current patterns of emigration and lower birth rates continue, their percentage could shrink to 20-25 percent and Lebanon will lose its historical character,\u201d a Greek diplomat told the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Lebanon has been the only Arab state where Christians hold equal political power with Muslims. The country\u2019s confessional system divides power by religious affiliation. The presidency goes to a Maronite Christian, the prime minister to a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of Parliament to a Shia Muslim.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u201cSince the founding of Lebanon, the interplay between religion and politics has been a dominant feature of the country, defining its identity and political system. Citizens are grouped according to religious affiliation or confession. This sectarian system preserved the importance of religion as the primary carrier of values and the vital function of the sect as the primary social organization through which political security has been maintained,\u201d&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.robertrabil.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.robertrabil.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NWqVCdhYPgprCFqFYMwGg\">Robert Rabil<\/a>, a Florida Atlantic University political science professor and an expert on political Islam and&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/press.georgetown.edu\/Book\/Salafism-in-Lebanon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/press.georgetown.edu\/Book\/Salafism-in-Lebanon&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0w996sW0DDGe33oMP2iH-Q\">Lebanese politics<\/a>&nbsp;told me. \u201cChristians in Lebanon face multiple external and internal challenges: Syria\u2019s external influence, local Salafist networks and incompetent state authorities. Salafist networks have been largely disbanded by the Lebanese authorities, as it is Shia Hizballah that exerts considerable influence. Hizballah has managed to determine the fate of the whole Lebanese nation [by] bringing down governments, [and] facilitating Syrian and Iranian penetration of the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">The dysfunctional Lebanese system is dominated by an inefficient, if not corrupt, political class organized along sectarian lines and a militarized party, US-designated terrorist group Hezbollah, a proxy of Iran that is on the verge of&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/jcpa.org\/hizbullah-is-working-to-elect-a-puppet-president-in-lebanon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/jcpa.org\/hizbullah-is-working-to-elect-a-puppet-president-in-lebanon\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw38gsLfBFgRv9GL1_hLszBh\">controlling Lebanon<\/a>&nbsp;on a political level. Christian political parties have&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/major-confrontation-with-hezbollah-ahead-says-lebanon-christian-politician-2022-06-01\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/major-confrontation-with-hezbollah-ahead-says-lebanon-christian-politician-2022-06-01\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1aWotvvxtZ4XsTthaYFGOR\">already warned<\/a>&nbsp;about an impending political clash with Hezbollah if it gains major political influence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u201cLebanon as a state was originally conceived as a safe haven for Christians in the Middle East. Today, it is in a dire situation due to the internal political situation and mingling of external actors,\u201d&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/richghazal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/richghazal&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Sibd9GZGJEVuSsmC8UToJ\">Richard Ghazal<\/a>, executive director of&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3aRgSQsYRYht94orxGGav2\">In Defense of Christians<\/a>&nbsp;(IDC) told me. Ghazal\u2019s organization, an ecumenical nonprofit foundation in Washington D.C. , has worked tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the Middle East to insure the survival of Christian communities and other oppressed minorities.&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/about-us\/idc-executive-staff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/indefenseofchristians.org\/about-us\/idc-executive-staff\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2sDcZg9RtRdt-7K8empRMD\">Ghazal<\/a>&nbsp;has an impressive pedigree, having served as a judge advocate in the Air Force, as a top Air Force intelligence officer. and as a strategic Missions Operations Commander. His credentials speak to the extraordinary commitment of public servants in the West like him who refuse to let the Christian communities in Lebanon in particular and the other ones in the Middle East be forced to fend for themselves against overwhelmingly more powerful Islamist forces that are serving as proxies of ruthless jihadist regimes, namely Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Besides the political deadlock and widespread state corruption, the ongoing&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lebanon-currency-pound-plunges-economy-crisis-2a7ce2cf910ffe9502dbc0ba2b1e1ab0?fbclid=IwAR1sXCPsPOPq_3jox3JHfdRpPJ3WS-DG5K_TIgR0dPB95JRvzc3R6ViAwXQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lebanon-currency-pound-plunges-economy-crisis-2a7ce2cf910ffe9502dbc0ba2b1e1ab0?fbclid%3DIwAR1sXCPsPOPq_3jox3JHfdRpPJ3WS-DG5K_TIgR0dPB95JRvzc3R6ViAwXQ&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0NMivRMxuXIVBD3WBuEAhh\">economic crisis<\/a>&nbsp;has worsened the status of Lebanese citizens, especially of middle-class Christians.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u201cChristians of Lebanon are victims of corrupt political elites which are largely responsible for the country\u2019s down spiral in the last decades. As a result, Christians who as a rule belong to the middle class, see no future but&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mnnonline.org\/news\/economic-crisis-leaves-many-in-lebanese-church-without-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.mnnonline.org\/news\/economic-crisis-leaves-many-in-lebanese-church-without-work\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685084784248000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2SECQ29HGFs2Tej6LYblZV\">emigration<\/a>. This is a change from previous patterns, now young people are actually encouraged by their families to seek better life abroad,\u201d Rabil said. Lebanon\u2019s fate stands as a dire warning for viability of highly fragmented states.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><i>Investigate Project on Terrorism (IPT) <strong>Senior Fellow<\/strong><\/i><strong>&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Ioannis-Kotoulas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Ioannis-Kotoulas&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684914827498000&amp;usg=AOvVaw12oV_2ezx1hUg1PvsVT0Ds\"><i>Ioannis E. Kotoulas<\/i><\/a><\/strong><i>&nbsp;(Ph.D. in History, Ph.D. in Geopolitics) is Adjunct Lecturer in Geopolitics at the University of Athens, Greece<\/i>.&nbsp;<i>His latest book is<\/i>&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/fainst.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Geopolitics-of-the-War-in-Ukraine-FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/fainst.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Geopolitics-of-the-War-in-Ukraine-FINAL.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684914827498000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3d_QV3pwmZnJCzrRgVI8K6\"><i>\u201cGeopolitics of the War in Ukraine<\/i><\/a><i>.\u201d A version of this article was&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investigativeproject.org\/9327\/persecution-of-christians-in-lebanon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">originally published<\/a> by IPT.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\">\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"content-alignment\">\n<div id=\"watch-description\" class=\"yt-uix-button-panel\">\n<div id=\"watch-description-text\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>Zawarto\u015b\u0107 publikowanych artyku\u0142\u00f3w i materia\u0142\u00f3w nie reprezentuje pogl\u0105d\u00f3w ani opinii Reunion&#8217;68,<\/em><em><br \/>\nani te\u017c webmastera Blogu Reunion&#8217;68, chyba ze jest to wyra\u017anie zaznaczone.<br \/>\nTwoje uwagi, linki, w\u0142asne artyku\u0142y lub wiadomo\u015bci prze\u015blij na adres:<br \/>\n<\/em><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><em><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"mailto:webmaster@reunion68.com\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">webmaster@reunion68.com<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr style=\"width: 100%;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Persecution of Christians in Lebanon Ioannis E. Kotoulas [ May 25, 2023 ] Army soldiers are deployed after gunfire erupted near the site of a protest that was getting underway against Judge Tarek Bitar, who was investigating the 2020 port explosion, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. Photo: REUTERS\/Mohamed Azakir\/File Photo Christians in Lebanon [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116029"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=116029"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116040,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116029\/revisions\/116040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=116029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=116029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=116029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}