Editorial

We keep talking about “globalization” as though the word still had a shared meaning. It no longer does. Or rather: all that remains of it is its economic shell—globalization as such: capital flows, supply chains, digital platforms—while its soul has vanished. Globalization as openness, as the promise of a world made more habitable for all, as the search for a shared language among cultures, is in the process of dying. And yet that form of globalization was never merely a material reality; it was a moral horizon. It rested on a simple, almost naïve idea: that repeated contact among peoples, cultures, imaginaries would eventually disarm the temptation of war. Distances reduced by technology, by transportation, by the abolition of customs borders… People would meet at universities, festivals, NGOs, international institutions; they would build compromises, treaties, exchange programs. They would learn to live together, for lack of a better option.

The current position of the Lebanese Executive is certainly not enviable. From the President of the Republic and his inauguration speech, to the Prime Minister and his government project. Beautiful speeches, beautiful promises, a certain will to realize them, good faith (at least for the latter), but the obstacle of reality, of the field, of dissensions, of nostalgia, of a dream, of a utopia. Some reproach the Executive for its inertia, its inability to face events, and remind it of Winston Churchill's position facing Chamberlain, the choice between dishonor and war. It is easy to criticize and transpose situations. Except that the policy of the Land of the Cedars is not that of a single man like Great Britain, but that of a consensus, and a confessional one at that.

And what about forgiveness when the offenders know perfectly well and consciously what they are doing? What about leniency towards those who don't give a damn about the country, others, or even their own? In the name of Khamenei and the Islamic Republic, Hezbollah launches rockets at the country that annihilated its supreme leader in a single strike. The supposed leader of Hezbollah, Naim Kassem, the one in hiding, launches 'Karbalaean' wars, battles named after Quranic verses, thus honoring its original name, 'the Islamic resistance in Lebanon'. And meanwhile, it's death, destruction, panic, chaos. Forgive them?

Yet another return to war, a war that is still not ours, one to avenge the death of a theocratic dictator. It is said that in times of misfortune, solidarity is in order, and that we should only settle our scores afterwards. This is, moreover, what moralistic voices advocated in 2023-2024. No! Today more than ever, we must once and for all denounce the causes of our misfortunes. Our misfortunes are obviously due to Hezbollah, but also to political complacency, to the acquiescence to a state of affairs, from all parties. Complacency to avoid 'civil war'; acquiescence which translates into unnatural alliances, for the sharing of positions or to preserve confessional quotas.

Lebanon and, more specifically, the Shiite community commemorated a few days ago the 25th anniversary of the death, on January 10, 2001, of the former president of the Supreme Shiite Council (SSC), Imam Mohammed Mehdi Shamseddine. The man who was, for more than two decades, the spiritual leader of the Lebanese Shiite community, succeeding Imam Moussa Sadr – who mysteriously disappeared during a visit to Libya in 1978 – left behind a political 'will' whose existence and true scope are ignored (or concealed...) by many Lebanese and foreigners, particularly in academic and journalistic circles. The historical and truly existential dimension of this legacy is highlighted by the dramatic developments currently unfolding in Lebanon and the region.

« 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 ».

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.