Lead:
Columnists at Al-Diyar have focused over the past 96 hours on three intersecting crises: the constitutional powers dispute between Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Defence Minister Michel Manssi, the fragility of the Salam government amid regional and international pressures, and the broader question of whether Lebanon can transition from sectarian logic to state-based governance while caught between American, Turkish, Iranian, and Saudi strategic calculations.
Voices & Positions:
In Al-Diyar, an unnamed columnist argues that President Joseph Aoun has moved to stabilize the conflict between Salam and Manssi following a political rift over ministerial authority within parliament, signalling the head of state's active role in managing executive tensions.
In Al-Diyar, a contributor contends that the Salam government survives not on institutional strength but because its existence is tied to local Lebanese conditions and broader Arab and international circumstances, making its collapse dependent on external forces rather than domestic political logic.
In Al-Diyar, another writer questions whether Aoun could eventually become prime minister, framing this not as speculation but as a logical outcome of shifting Lebanese-Syrian relations, which now form the strategic axis for American, Turkish, and Saudi regional planning.
In Al-Diyar, a columnist asserts that divergence between Washington and Tel Aviv over southern Lebanon negotiations may become the primary obstacle to resuming talks, despite their permanent alliance.
In Al-Diyar, an analyst warns that Israel continues military escalations and attacks in southern Lebanon—citing recent incidents in Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani—while the international framework for managing the conflict deteriorates.
Tension & Convergence:
Writers converge on the view that Lebanon's government operates under external constraints and that constitutional friction reflects deeper systemic instability. They diverge sharply on whether American policy offers any reliable framework for resolution—some see U.S. commitment as genuine but inconsistent; others dismiss betting on any American strategy as futile. One strand emphasizes Turkey's mediation potential between Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara and Hezbollah; another questions whether any such dialogue can succeed amid larger geopolitical competition.
Editorial Takeaway:
The dominant voice today is that Lebanon's political survival depends less on institutional reform than on the balance between competing external powers, with the Salam government functioning as a placeholder rather than a foundation.