BEIRUT, Feb. 19, 2024 -- An opinion poll revealed that 90 percent of the Lebanese hold the United States accountable for Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, al-Akhbar local newspaper reported on Monday.

 

Citing a survey conducted by the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation, a Beirut-based research institution on strategic and development studies, the local newspaper said that across all sectors of Lebanon, 94.1 percent of Shiites, 92.4 percent of Sunnis, 83.8 percent of Christians, and 92.9 percent of Druze agreed that "the United States is the main reason behind the continued escalation and the failure to end the Israeli aggression."

 

The poll, which was conducted four months into the Israel-Hamas conflict and included a sample of 400 people from various Lebanese sects and regions, said that two-thirds of those polled agreed that "the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah) takes into account Lebanon's national interests in its support for the Palestinian people."

 

According to the poll, around 60 percent believed that Hezbollah's demonstration of strength would deter Israel from carrying out a comprehensive war against Lebanon. Moreover, around 60 percent agreed that "Lebanon's presence within the axis of resistance strengthens the country's position and helps deter aggression."

 

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

 

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 302 people on the Lebanese side, including 205 Hezbollah members and 57 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.