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3. It Feels Like the South... but Now, It's the North!

Suddenly, all eyes and fears turned to Tripoli and Akkar. At least 7,000 Syrian refugees, mostly Alawites, have crossed the border to escape the violent clashes unfolding along Syria’s coastline. These confrontations, marked by extreme brutality and condemned by numerous human rights organizations, have sent shockwaves through the international community, alarmed by the rising civilian toll.

Disturbing images shared on social media show scruffy militiamen—Afghans, Chechens or Uzbeks—just a stone's throw from the border. The thought of these fighters being a mere hundred kilometers from Beirut, and 40 kilometers from Tripoli, is enough to unsettle even the most optimistic people. What if they decided to cross the Orontes? Can the central power in Damascus control these hardcore Islamists, who have already proven their savagery? The answer remains highly uncertain.

Naturally, everyone is once again relying on the Lebanese Army. The military has been heavily deployed in the northern capital. However, the army is ill-equipped to handle the immense pressure it faces, as it is already overstretched in the south, dealing with the deep wounds left by the “victorious” support war for Gaza. Yet, there is no alternative to prevent chaos.

With the influx of refugees, old demons have resurfaced. The neighborhoods of Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, which waged war against each other for years, are once again the epicenter of tension. Beyond them, the entire region holds its breath. Paradoxically, the multi-confessional Syria touted by the new Damascus regime is being forged in Lebanon, not Syria. The 2.5 million displaced Syrians—mostly Sunni and theoretically anti-Assad—are now joined by thousands of pro-Assad Alawites. But of course, the situation is far more complex. We remember the images of dozens of “refugee” vehicles speeding through the streets of Beirut, proudly displaying portraits of Bashar al-Assad, the very man from whom they were supposed to have fled, during the “democratic” elections. Pro, anti or “economic” migrants, Syrians in Lebanon are in no rush to return to their homeland.

Generous European NGOs continue to assist populations stranded in Lebanon, funded by the taxpayers of the European Union. The last thing Europe wants is for 2.5 million Syrians to consider seeking refuge on more attractive Mediterranean shores. And for the 27 EU countries, this is certainly not the time to take on such a burden. Abandoned and sidelined by the Americans, who have fully taken charge of ending the war in Ukraine, European nations are now desperately searching for a new “umbrella” of defense to shield themselves from a looming Russian threat. In this conflict, Europeans are neither at the negotiating table nor hosting the talks, which are being held in… Saudi Arabia. The message to the Old Continent is clear: it no longer deals with the world’s affairs. Thus, it is evident that Syria and Lebanon are, for the time being, the least of Europe’s concerns.

Ah, and I almost forgot: the Christians of Syria. At the start of the 20^th century, they made up a quarter of the country's population. Now, they either die, hide or silently exile themselves, forgotten by the world for the last 50 years. The Syria of Saint Paul must now turn to Saint Anthony of Padua to reclaim the keys to its lost paradise.