71% Of Shias Want War And Peace Decisions In State Hands

The findings of a survey conducted by Statistics Lebanon among a sample of Shia respondents in Lebanon reveal significant attitudes toward Hezbollah’s weapons and the future of its political and military role. A majority of respondents believe that decisions on war and peace should rest exclusively with the state and support the handover of Hezbollah’s weapons through various mechanisms.

These figures reflect growing exhaustion with the wars and confrontations for which the Lebanese people have paid a heavy price, as well as a desire to explore alternatives to armed conflict. While these views do not necessarily indicate a shift in attitudes toward Israel or a loss of confidence in Hezbollah across the board, they reveal an important distinction:

supporting Hezbollah no longer necessarily means supporting its continued possession of weapons or its authority to decide when to go to war.