Jawad Pakradouni

« Lebanon is distinguished by the unique proximity between the sea and the mountains. Lebanon's imposing mountain ranges stretch parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coastline, creating a striking geographical diversity that brings together magnificent beaches, green valleys, and snow-covered mountains in winter. » A typical introduction found in all Lebanese geography textbooks, describing a one-of-a-kind country, equally captivating for locals and tourists alike. It is therefore not surprising to see the massive influx of foreign nationals, particularly Syrians and Iranians (who, it seems, contribute to a sudden increase in the occupancy rate of certain hotels): Lebanon is paying the price of its success. It is true that we would have preferred to see Westerners or Arabs from the Persian Gulf disembark, but unfortunately, we do not choose our tourists, and it was indeed the ministry concerned that came up with the slogan « Ahla Bhal Tallé » without specifying the nationalities of the « tallé ».

“And David danced before the Lord with all his might.” (2 Samuel 6:14) Dancing is not incompatible with prayer. On the contrary, gospel music perfectly illustrates how singing and dancing, even during liturgical mass, can create an atmosphere of communion and celebration. “Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” (Psalm 33:2–3) There is a priest who understood that in our time, the most effective way to reach crowds and especially young people is through music. When the Book of Psalms was written, the loudest instrument appears to have been the ten-stringed lyre. This priest replaced it with electronic music. His name is Padre Guilherme, known today as the DJ priest.

Dear fellow citizens, On Thursday, January 1st, 2026, Lebanon will be transfigured! Electricity will run 24/7, without generators or parallel subscriptions. All wrongdoers and the corrupt will be tried, from the smallest sparrow to the old crow, no matter how high its perch. The State will function— function in the true sense of the word, not extract . A State where the basic services of the Republic will be efficient rather than inoperative. At the same time, the remote pilots of the MKs will be technically unemployed, given that Hezbollah will be demilitarized north, east, and west of the Litani. The big Question—with a capital Q—is: how does this happen (even if on January 1st your head is still buried in the letter or the verb)?

For many, forgetting is a coping mechanism that helps them overcome hardship. But it is also the means—and often the goal—sought by wrongdoers eager to erase their tracks. A population with the memory of a goldfish is every fisherman’s dream: a form of collective Alzheimer’s that guarantees a quiet life, smooth and undisturbed. Lebanon is perhaps the most striking example. Recently, some financial institutions have begun offering interest-bearing returns on cash deposits—an expression we had not heard since 2019. For many, this is worse than the apple in the Garden of Eden: Adam and Eve were naked before taking a bite, whereas we succumbed to these usurious interest rates, which led us straight into erosion and ruin.

This term is more relevant than ever in every country in the world and has returned to its original definition: an act can only be consensual, or consented to, if it is accepted by the other party. The first example that comes to mind is the sexual act, which dominates headlines, drives trends on social media, and can annihilate a career or a vocation. As long as it applies to an act between two individuals, the term has limited consequences. But when it becomes the foundation of a policy, a society, or even the pillar of a country, that is a completely different matter. In Lebanon, everything is consensual: its democracy, its rule of law, its very existence.

The following question was posed to one of the artificial intelligence programs: Has the Levant ever experienced a true period of peace since its existence? The answer is grim. The region has known periods of calm, but never lasting peace. The only period that can be described as stable was the Pax Romana , from the first to the third century. A peace imposed by the sword, a pax manu militari . A peace at the price of blood, the toll of which even artificial intelligence would be unable to assess. The various conflicts were motivated primarily by religious reasons, linked to other political or territorial considerations.

In the French baccalaureate history textbook, there's a chapter on page 138 entitled "The Birth of the State of Israel." However, strangely enough, it jumps from page 137 to page 140, with the two pages of the aforementioned chapter stuck together. This way, our children will be spared learning about the creation of a country that our own refuses to recognize, and therefore doesn't officially exist… Imagine the results on the baccalaureate exam if this topic is ever asked. Meanwhile, the army of this non-existent country is decimating everything in its path or during its overflights. One might conclude that we are being attacked by ghosts or spirits. We don't need regular forces or so-called paramilitary "resistance," but an exorcist.