Lebanese Christians celebrate Assad’s fall, see it as justice for years of oppression

ACI MENA, Dec 10, 2024 / 17:20 pm

In the wake of the Assad regime’s fall in Syria, the streets of Lebanon were alive with celebration. Church bells rang out as Lebanese Christians gathered en masse, uplifted by the seismic political shift. Flags waved triumphantly as sweets passed from hand to hand and fireworks filled the sky, casting light over a nation long shadowed by turmoil. 

But why have Lebanese Christians reacted so fervently to this news from a neighboring country?

A dark history

Lebanese Christians have long harbored animosity toward the Assad regime, which occupied their country for 29 years. This occupation came to an end in 2005 following the Cedar Revolution, where Lebanese from all sects united in protest. 

Despite the formal end of Syrian control, the regime’s influence lingered, and the ghosts of the past never truly departed. Both under Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, Lebanese Christians endured significant suffering.

The impact of the regime’s actions and crimes has left a deep and lasting mark. Lebanese journalists faced abductions, mutilations, and execution for their opposition. Media outlets were attacked and forcibly shut down. Political assassinations were common, and the daily lives of civilians were marred by humiliation, torture, and interrogations by Syrian intelligence. 

Lebanese citizens faced the grim reality of enduring Syrian checkpoints within their own country, each crossing fraught with potential peril. Students were violently removed from classrooms and beaten up. 

Towns like Zahleh — one of the largest predominantly Christian towns in Lebanon and the Middle East — withstood sieges, while neighborhoods such as Ein el-Remmaneh and Ashrafieh suffered immensely under heavy shelling. Car bombs, shelling of vital supply ships, and massacres perpetuated a climate of fear and repression. 

Almost every Christian Lebanese family has a story of suffering at the hands of the Assad regime’s occupation of Lebanon. 

On X (formerly Twitter), Lebanese citizens began sharing personal and familial stories that highlight those dark and oppressive days. Reflecting on this dark history, the news was not just important for Syria but also for Lebanon, which has suffered immensely under Assad’s rule.

Lebanese Christians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria on Dec. 8, 2024. Credit: Mirella Mansour

In an interview with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Jean Bou Assi, a 27-year-old Lebanese Christian activist who joined in the celebratory gatherings, reacted to the news.

“I wanted to express my happiness as a Lebanese Christian after this historic event,” he said. “The fall of the Assad regime is deeply tied to years of oppression, occupation, and assassinations that Lebanon endured under this regime. As Lebanese Christians, our history and fate have often been linked to the Lebanese entity (that the Assad regime doesn’t recognize). The fact that Lebanon’s entity endured despite this oppressive regime’s existence is a significant reason to celebrate following its downfall.”

Justice served

Many Christian Lebanese view the fall of Assad as a form of justice being served. 

Bou Assi described the atmosphere, noting that chants of “Bachir hay fina” (“Bachir lives among us”) filled the air, an invocation of the memory of President-elect Bachir Gemayel. 

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Gemayel was a prominent Lebanese Christian leader who was assassinated in 1982. 

Bou Assi explained that for many, it feels like a moment of justice for Gemayel. 

“Many feel that President Bachir was finally avenged, as Syria was widely implicated in his assassination,” he explained. “This sentiment is reinforced by Syria’s history of granting asylum to his assassin, Habib Chartouni, even after freeing him in 1990. People are now awaiting action from the new Syrian administration, hoping they will hand over Habib Chartouni once identified.”

In a similar vein, Michel Moawad, a member of Parliament and founder of the Independence Movement, shared a poignant tribute to his father, René Moawad, who was the president of Lebanon. 

“Sleep tight dad, for heaven’s justice has been achieved on earth, even if it took a while,” Moawad said in a heartfelt message.

Nayla Tueni, CEO of An-Nahar, one of Lebanon’s most influential newspapers, published an article to honor her father, Gebran Tueni, a journalist assassinated for his strong criticism of Assad. She titled it “To Gebran and All Martyrs: The Justice of Fate.”

MTV, a major Lebanese TV channel, was shut down by the Assad regime in 2002, giving them a strong reason to celebrate the regime’s fall this week. In one of its posts, it wrote: “The tyrant’s regime fell, but MTV remained.”

Jean Bou Assi. Credit: Photo courtesy of Jean Bou Assi

A glimmer of hope

Names of Lebanese citizens believed to be in Syrian prisons have become a focal point on Lebanese media, sparking hope for reunions with loved ones. 

Since 1975, more than 17,000 Lebanese have disappeared, and there is no definitive count of how many are still alive in Assad’s jails. However, families are actively sharing posts about their missing relatives, holding onto hope for their return.

One of the detainees, held for 32 years because of his affiliation with the Lebanese Forces — an anti-Assad Christian party and resistance movement — was released and returned to his family in Lebanon. Many others are anxiously awaiting more such reunions and the return of other detainees.

Lebanese are also hopeful that the refugee crisis, which has been placing a strain on the country, will now begin to ease. 

“With the war in Syria reigniting, I previously feared that Lebanon would face an even greater influx of refugees, adding to the 2 million Syrian refugees already hosted — a burden that has strained Lebanon’s demography, economy, and infrastructure,” Bou Assi said. 

“Many Syrians have cited fear of mistreatment by Assad’s regime as a reason for not returning home. Now that Assad is gone, this justification no longer holds. The Lebanese government will be in a stronger position to address the crisis, implementing measures that encourage refugees to return to Syria.” 

The recent events have also stripped Hezbollah of a crucial ally and supporter. As a significant political backer, arms supplier, and facilitator of Hezbollah’s operations through border smuggling routes — particularly in the trafficking of Captagon — Assad’s departure marks a pivotal shift. 

“With Syria’s support gone and Hezbollah weakened by its last war with Israel two months ago, attempts to rearm the group will be significantly hindered. This isolation will disrupt Hezbollah’s logistical and political network, forcing it into a more precarious position within Lebanon’s shifting power dynamics,” Bou Assi said.

This newfound isolation of Hezbollah is seen as a strategic opportunity by its adversaries. 

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, the largest Christian party in Lebanon, expressed his long-term frustrations and current hopes in an interview with MTV channel. 

“Over the past 50 years, the regime of Hafez and Bashar al-Assad was the biggest obstacle to the building of a state in Lebanon,” Geagea stated. “No matter how the situation in Syria will be after Assad, it’s impossible that it will be worse than Assad. I don’t know what awaits us with the new Syrian authorities, but there is nothing worse than Assad.”

Seizing the moment, Geagea called for Hezbollah to either hand over their weapons or sell them, urging a collective effort to build a state in Lebanon. In one tweet, he had a strong message: ‘’To Hezbollah, game over.”

With the situation changing, there are also hopes for improved relations between the two countries that share a brutal history.

‘’While it’s still early to predict the future, I remain optimistic that Lebanon and Syria can turn the page toward a new chapter of friendship,” Bou Assi said. “This could mark the end of Syrian aggression toward Lebanon, from denying Lebanon’s existence as an independent entity to its military occupation and facilitating Hezbollah’s armament. The fall of the Assad regime could close the door on this dark era, paving the way for a better relationship based on mutual respect.’’

Lebanese Christians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria on Dec. 8, 2024. Credit: Jean Bou Assi

Joy amid uncertainty

While there is joy over the end of the brutal regime, fear and skepticism naturally persist. 

The transition process remains unclear, and Lebanon must be vigilant against the potential infiltration of pro-Assad intelligence forces and commanders through illegal crossings.

Moreover, Lebanon is not yet free from conflict as the temporary ceasefire was intended for 60 days. Additionally, Lebanon must address its own significant challenge and elephant in the room: Hezbollah. 

Lebanese Christians may not know what will happen next in Syria or even in Lebanon, but they are acutely aware of the unfathomable atrocities committed against them by the Assad family. For now, it is a time to rejoice.