The conflict in Lebanon is being closely watched with concern by the large Lebanese diaspora, whose population exceeds that of Lebanese people living in their own country. For Lebanese expatriates in the Gulf, the situation is unique as they live in countries destabilized by this regional war.
In Qatar, two Lebanese friends living abroad for professional and economic reasons, like many of their compatriots, discuss the situation in Lebanon. “We have this huge concern about Lebanon. We follow the news, we wake up, we watch the news, we are always in front of our screens,” one of them testifies. “We work, that’s true, but our mind is elsewhere.”
“Lebanon is our country. It’s the most beautiful country, we love it. But unfortunately, we have experienced many wars and we continue to live through many wars,” adds her friend. “And now, Lebanon is bleeding. So we are tired, we are morally exhausted.”
Having lived in Qatar for 17 years and 10 years respectively, one works in healthcare and the other in education. These Lebanese friends have experienced other wars in their country, but this time the conflict is regional, with Iranian drones and missiles intercepted here in the Gulf countries. “We didn’t expect this, and we don’t know what will happen in a week, in a few days, because we have to leave for better opportunities, to find stability for us and our children,” one of the friends expresses.
After the initial shock of the conflict, the two Lebanese friends feel safe in Qatar, where alerts are now less frequent. One of them judges, “So what we are experiencing now is nothing, honestly, it’s nothing.” Her friend reacts, “We are ashamed to talk about it.”
The conversation between the two women continues: “We are in Qatar, and we thank God for that because even with the bombings and missiles, we always feel this protection. Really.”
Sometimes, a sentence is interrupted by a sob as the two expatriates discuss conversations with their families still in Lebanon. “We feel guilty because when we see our parents in what state they are, well, as Lebanese, I want to go there, to help them. I am helping them financially. But there is also the moral aspect. They need us. But how? We will be torn,” one of them confides. “Because here, Qatar, for me, is my second country, it needs us. Now, we cannot leave because we have our families here, we have our children, so we will stay, God willing, everything will be fine.”
