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For Lebanese, Syrian Crisis Cuts along Sectarian Lines

Within both the March 8 & 14 Alliances, reactions differ at the grass-roots level regarding the events transpiring in the country bordering Lebanon, Elie Hajj reports
Lebanese security forces reinforce the barriers during clashes with protesters who were trying to storm the Lebanese government in Beirut October 21, 2012. Angry mourners marched on Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's offices in central Beirut on Sunday, breaking through an outer security barrier and scuffling with police who fired tear gas in response. "Mikati leave, get out," chanted hundreds of protesters following the funeral of a slain intelligence chief. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah (LEBANON- Tags: POLIT
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The reaction of the Lebanese people to the ongoing crisis in Syria is split along sectarian and party lines. With some difficulty, all parties agreed to the “self-distancing” policy. The government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati depends on this policy in order to avoid domestic confrontations linked with the events transpiring in the neighboring countries.

Before the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, divisions over national and political issues split Lebanon along party and sectarian lines. The March 14 Alliance is a coalition of political parties comprised of the Future Movement — a Sunni Muslim-majority party that was founded by the late President Rafiq Hariri — and Christian parties, most notably the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb Party, and the National Liberal Party, in addition to regional and leftist groups, the Democratic Left Movement, and independent figures.

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