In a new indication of the extent of the political and popular tension that accompanies the period following the signing of the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, one of the new signs on the airport road bearing the slogan “Lebanon First” was burned.
This incident comes after signs were changed around the airport road towards the south, in light of an atmosphere of sharp internal division over the agreement that was signed in Washington under American sponsorship, between those who see it as an opportunity to end the war and strengthen the presence of the state and its institutions, and those who reject it and consider it a violation of national constants.
The slogan “Lebanon First” carries clear political symbolism at this stage, as it intersects with calls to limit the decision of war and peace to legitimate institutions, and to strengthen the state’s authority over the entire Lebanese territory, in exchange for political and popular objections to the agreement and its provisions.
The incident of burning the banner reflects the sensitivity of the internal scene, as symbols and phrases raised in public space have become part of the political clash surrounding the future of the agreement and its implementation mechanisms, amid fears that the dispute will move from political positions to the street.
