DID Press: A Telegraph report from the Christian village of Ras Baalbek in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley highlights the deepening ties between the local Catholic community and Hezbollah.
Faced with threats from Salafi groups and ISIS, villagers describe a growing convergence between two religiously distinct communities. Refaat Nasrallah, a prominent local figure, criticized the Vatican, saying: “The Vatican did nothing for us, but Hezbollah shed its blood to protect us. The Pope only prays.” He stressed that the community’s bond with Hezbollah is now stronger than with the papacy.
According to the report, this cooperation began in 2013 during the peak of the Syrian civil war, when the Lebanese army struggled with political weaknesses and limited resources. Hezbollah intervened to confront Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS, and the relationship later expanded beyond military support to include social, healthcare, and even religious contributions, such as providing a Christmas tree for the village annually.
Villagers also identified Israel as their main adversary and noted that during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and fuel shortages, Hezbollah was their only reliable support.