The most telling sign of a shift in Lebanon's political landscape and the fading of Hezbollah’s longstanding aura of fear became evident following Wafiq Safa's remarks about the country's current state of affairs. This public appearance, his first since the airstrike targeting him during the war, marks the significant shift in the dynamics at play.
The change in the situation is striking. Previously, Wafiq Safa could brazenly enter the Justice Palace and threaten Judge Tarek Bitar over his investigative decisions. At that time, his action passed without a whisper of protest and the investigation into the Beirut port explosion lost momentum. Today, however, as Safa continues with his ominous rhetoric, the result is far from what he might expect. Instead of silencing public anger, his words have ignited a wave of defiance, with voices growing louder and more resolute.
Wafiq Safa no longer commands the same fear. The man who once disappeared for weeks, fearing another attack, and even spreading rumors of his own death to mislead Israeli forces, no longer has the power to speak with the same menacing tone. His fear of appearing in public was palpable.
The once all-powerful figure, who dictated presidential candidates, handed out vetoes, and decided who was a threat to Lebanon, now finds himself relegated to a mere protester. He has forgotten that in the present day, his power to veto is no longer the decisive force it once was. Today, all he can do is voice his disapproval, not impose his will.
Lebanon has entered a new phase where no one can force their will upon others any longer. The era of vetoes is over, and a new reality has emerged: a time for legitimate opposition. If you disagree with someone, you need not resort to threats. Vote against them. And if they win, accept your role as an opposition figure.
Wafiq Safa has been advocating for his party to regain the military power lost in the war, using increasingly forceful rhetoric. Yet, as he stood before his audience, he couldn't even prevent Israeli reconnaissance planes from flying above him. This is the "victory" he touts to his supporters—the one that supposedly grants him the authority to impose the conditions of the nation’s future.
Now, Wafiq Safa has vanished into an undisclosed location, driven by fear of potential airstrikes should the truce collapse and tensions escalate. His once-unshakable confidence has given way to uncertainty. He even sought to intervene in a civil court case involving influencers who refused to sign defamation undertakings, all while obstructing the investigation into the largest non-nuclear explosion in history.
Wafiq Safa is no longer the man he once was, and it seems unlikely he will ever regain his former power. Now that Lebanon has moved beyond the era of fear, let him issue threats as he pleases.
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