In the early hours of Nov. 27, citizens of Israel and Lebanon embraced hope that the newly-agreed-upon cease-fire between their nations would hold and usher in a prolonged period of peace and stability between the two countries.  

Brokered by the United States and France, the 60-day cessation of hostilities calls for the government of Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah, considered by the U.S. an international terror organization, from operating in south Lebanon and attacking Israel. Israel has agreed to gradually remove its troops from south Lebanon and abide by the cease-fire, provided Hezbollah does the same. 

But in recent days, Hezbollah and Israel have accused each other of breaking the agreement. Hezbollah has been relocating its weapons and has launched projectiles (likely armed drones) at Israel, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck what it calls Hezbollah “terror targets” in south Lebanon, the IDF said. According to the cease-fire, Israel has the right to prevent Hezbollah from operating in south Lebanon. 

Until all hostilities cease permanently, tens of thousands of displaced Israelis and Lebanese will not be able to return to their homes. Many homes on both sides of the border have been destroyed or severely damaged.  

Hezbollah began to fire rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas infiltrated southern Israel and killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 more. Israel responded with targeted airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon and, in a sophisticated intelligence operation, blew up the pagers of thousands of Hamas members. In October, the IDF sent ground troops into southern Lebanon to find and destroy Hezbollah tunnels and weapons stashes hidden near Israel’s northern border. 

United Nations Resolution 1701 prohibits Lebanese militias from operating south of the Litani River, about 18 miles from Israel’s northern border.  

Pope Francis praised the Lebanon-Israel cease-fire after praying the Angelus on Sunday, before the situation deteriorated, and expressed hope that the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Syria would come to a quick resolution. He also prayed for the release of the hostages Hamas has held in Gaza for more than a year. 

“I hope that the glimmer of peace that has emerged can lead to a cease-fire on all other fronts. The pursuit of peace is not the responsibility of a few but of all,” the Pontiff said. If “desensitization and indifference to the horrors of war prevail, all of humanity is defeated.”

News of the cease-fire was met with relief but also some trepidation in both Lebanon and Israel. 

While tens of thousands of Lebanese — some of them Hezbollah supporters waving the militia’s flag — could be seen attempting to return to their homes in the south, others took to social media to express their ambivalence over the fact that the IDF weakened but did not destroy Hezbollah, which is also a faction in the Lebanese government.  

“I have mixed feelings about the upcoming potential cease-fire in Lebanon, but this hesitation is emotional,” Rawan Osman, a Lebanese-Syrian activist said on X (formerly Twitter). “The Lebanese deserve peace, but Hezbollah wanted war, and after all the destruction they brought upon the country, they don’t deserve a break.” 

If Hezbollah survives, Osman said, “Lebanon won’t. The IDF undid in two months what Hezbollah built in 15 years. It is now up to the Lebanese to rise to the opportunity and seize their country back.”

Lebanon, whose population was once mostly Christian, has been racked by Muslim-Christian tensions for decades. Today, Christians comprise roughly one-third of the population.  

Hezbollah, which is both a militia and a political party, was founded during the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War and is “driven is by its violent opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East,” the Council on Foreign Relations explains in a backgrounder. The group hopes to eventually establish an anti-Western Islamist regime.

Lebanon’s outspoken Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Raï thanked the U.S. and Israel for brokering the cease-fire and praised the Lebanese civilians — Muslim, Christian and Druze — who gave shelter to the internally displaced people from south Lebanon in their homes. 

“We hope this will lead to permanent peace. We thank everyone who welcomed them in their areas and facilitated their stay,” Cardinal Raï said. “We express our gratitude to the brotherly and friendly countries for their solidarity and the aid they sent, to the charitable institutions that dedicated themselves to serving them, to the Lebanese army that sacrificed some of its members, to the Civil Defense for its presence in facing the fires, and to the media community, some of whose members sacrificed their lives during their service.” 

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, said the cease-fire offered “profound hope” after a year of bloodshed and suffering. 

“I pray that this cease-fire proves to be a beacon of real hope, and that it inspires greater ambitions for a lasting peace in the Middle East on all fronts, especially in the dire situation in Gaza,” Bishop Zaidan said. “I join in solidarity with Pope Francis, who, in October, called for a cease-fire, saying: ‘Let us pursue the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to achieve peace.’”

He also expressed gratitude for the “crucial peacebuilding role” played by the United States.

At the same time, Bishop Zaidan called on world powers to carefully monitor Hezbollah’s actions. 

“As we rejoice in this opportunity for peace to take root, I urge all parties, as well as the broader international community, to remain vigilant and to continue working toward the consolidation of peace in the region through the disarmament of Hezbollah and the full implementation of the U.N. resolutions concerning Lebanon,” He said. “This will lead to Lebanon regaining its full sovereignty and independence.”