Regional Voices: A quiet resilience amidst occupation and uncertainty.
Mariam al-Yaghi stands on her balcony in West Zawtar, Lebanon, a village caught between a returning life and an occupying force. Broken glass crunches underfoot as she points towards the Israeli military vehicles stationed just a few hundred metres away. Two months after a partial Israeli withdrawal – touted as a “pilot zone” for further de-escalation – the promise of peace feels distant. The drones are a constant presence, a metallic hum accompanying her as she tends to her garden. Explosions still reverberate from the neighbouring, occupied East Zawtar, where homes are systematically demolished. “We hear them all the time,” she says, not with fear, but with a weary acceptance. “But here we are… until they get the hell out of here.”
A Village Held Breath
The people of West and East Zawtar embody the complicated reality for many along the Israel-Lebanon border. They are caught in a geopolitical struggle they did not choose. The hope sparked by the June ceasefire has rapidly faded, replaced by a simmering frustration and a deep sense of abandonment. Many who tentatively returned to West Zawtar find their homes damaged, their livelihoods threatened, and their everyday lives shadowed by the presence of foreign soldiers. The promised restoration of basic services – electricity, water – hasn’t materialised. The absurdity of seeking permission from the US to harvest their olives, land worked by their families for generations, feels like a particularly cruel indignity. There’s a feeling of being used, of being a pawn in a larger game, and a growing resignation that ‘normal’ life is a long way off.
The Shadow of Iran and Israel
The situation in Zawtar is inextricably linked to the broader Israel-Iran dynamic. The conflict in Lebanon is viewed by Israel as a northern front in its containment strategy against Iran and its regional proxies, primarily Hezbollah. The “pilot zone” was predicated on Hezbollah’s disarmament, a condition deeply tied to Iranian influence. Iran, for its part, views the Lebanese resistance as a key component of its regional network, and ending the Lebanon conflict is a condition for wider peace negotiations. The continued Israeli presence, even in a limited capacity, is a demonstration of power and a signal to Tehran. The fate of villages like Zawtar is, in effect, being negotiated in distant capitals.
A Fragile Seed of Hope
Despite the hardship and uncertainty, there’s a quiet resilience in Zawtar. Mariam al-Yaghi continues to tend to her olive trees, a symbol of steadfastness and continuity. The very act of returning, of rebuilding even amidst the threat, is a defiant gesture. It speaks to a profound connection to the land and a determination to not be erased. The story of Zawtar isn’t just about destruction and occupation; it’s a testament to the enduring spirit of ordinary people striving to reclaim their lives, one olive branch at a time. Perhaps, in these small acts of defiance, lies a pathway towards a more sustainable peace.
Source: Maya Gebeily, Emilie Madi and Mohamed Azakir, Al-Monitor, 8 October 2026.
