Deteriorating economic and living conditions in Lebanon have not diminished support for armed resistance among the country’s Shiite community, with ending the Israeli occupation remaining their foremost priority, a new poll by the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation (CCSD) found, as reported by Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar on Tuesday.
The survey, which questioned 1,065 Shiite residents across Lebanon, found that 62.3% consider ending the Israeli occupation the most important issue, while 48.4% view armed resistance as the most effective means of liberating occupied land and safeguarding Lebanon’s security and sovereignty.
On the question of war and peace, 53.5% said the decision should rest exclusively with the Resistance, while another 37.6% favored a joint decision by the state and the Resistance.
The findings come against a backdrop of mounting economic uncertainty. Nearly 80% of respondents expect their living conditions to deteriorate compared with last year, while only 3% anticipate a significant improvement and 20% expect some improvement over the coming year.
The poll covered Shiite communities across South Lebanon, Nabatieh, Baalbek-Hermel, the central and western Bekaa, Beirut, and Mount Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh), according to Al-Akhbar.
According to the survey’s conclusions, the Israeli occupation takes precedence over livelihood concerns in respondents’ priorities, while economic hardship has not substantially altered their position on the resistance option.
The results also point to widespread rejection of the current political authorities, alongside acceptance of the Lebanese Army, and indicate that resistance-aligned electoral lists face no significant rivals within the surveyed community.
The survey’s findings on support for resistance are particularly notable given that Hezbollah had neither begun nor announced housing allowance payments to owners of homes destroyed in Israeli aggression at the time of the poll, a factor that the report presents as countering claims that political or financial incentives influenced respondents’ positions.
Distrust in Political Authority
The survey also revealed a profound lack of confidence in Lebanon’s political leadership, despite comparatively strong trust in the Lebanese Army. While 56% of respondents expressed confidence in the army, 81% said they did not trust the Lebanese presidency, and 88% expressed distrust in the performance of the current government. Satisfaction with the government’s performance stood at just 12%, while 81% of respondents said they wanted a change of government.
These findings raise questions, according to the report, about the extent to which Shiite figures visiting Baabda Palace and expressing support for the president, Lebanese legitimacy, and negotiations with the Israeli enemy as a path to liberation represent the broader community’s political position.
On the question of the Resistance’s weapons, 84% of respondents said their role should remain one of protection and deterrence for as long as the threat persists. By contrast, only 4% supported granting the state an exclusive monopoly over weapons.
Asked about the most effective means of liberating occupied land and safeguarding Lebanon’s security and sovereignty, 50% chose armed resistance, followed by the Iranian-American track at 16%, while 13% favored diplomacy and negotiations, according to the poll cited by Al-Akhbar.
Among respondents who identified armed resistance as the preferred means of liberation, 54% supported resuming military operations against the Israeli occupation even if this led to a return to war. Another 24% favored resuming operations at a pace that would not trigger a renewed war.
Distrust in the political establishment was also reflected in respondents’ positions on the so-called Framework Agreement signed by the Lebanese political authorities with ‘Israel’, with 86% expressing opposition to it. Rejection of normalization with the Israeli enemy was even more pronounced, reaching 97% of those surveyed.
However, views were more divided over who should hold the authority to decide on war and peace. While 53% said the decision should rest exclusively with the Resistance, 37% favored an agreement between the state and the Resistance.
Source: Al-Manar English Website