Saudi Arabia's recent decision to launch the Islamic Military Alliance immediately prompted a plethora of both supportive and hostile reactions in Lebanon. The terrorism-fighting coalition supposedly includes Lebanon and 33 other countries, but excludes Iran, Syria and Iraq. Representatives of several countries said they were unaware they had been enlisted as coalition members when it was announced Dec. 15.

As some parties in Lebanon supported the step — such as the Future Movement, a Sunni force allied with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — others such as the pro-Iran Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement rushed to object. This deepened the already heated domestic division between pro-Iranian and pro-Saudi parties in Lebanon. It has also heated up the Lebanese political scene and weakened the government, in light of the different ministerial stances on the Saudi initiative.

Lebanon is still far from achieving a democratic debate that strictly focuses on its own national interests and not that of its sponsors, whether Iran or Saudi Arabia.

While some Arab and international countries such as Britain, Turkey and Egypt officially confirmed their support for the Saudi-led alliance — even Moscow announced that it would “examine” the Islamic military coalition — Lebanon failed to take a unified official stance regarding the initiative.