Sat on the balcony of a hotel in Ain Ibl, one of just four Christian villages in the remote qada of Bint Jbeil, Pierre Hasrouny looks out over the mountainous landscape of south Lebanon. Despite everything that is going on in Lebanon, the scene is a peaceful one. But Hasrouny, the activist and founder of local nonprofit organization Awfa (Most Loyal), is much more restless.

 

“With the absence of a government, Sunnis turned to Future Movement, Shiites turned to Hezbollah.” Hasrouny wondered out loud, smirking slightly, “Who are we supposed to turn to?”

 

It is a recurring question in this corner of the country, with Hasrouny and many of his coreligionists saying they feel “left behind” and neglected by not just the state but also by the very political parties who are supposed to prioritize the plight of the Christians. [Link]