Publication

The brief analyzes and contextualizes May 2012 clashes in Tripoli between opponents and backers of the Syrian regime. To many observers, this violent escalation came as a surprise, in light of the widespread assumption that Lebanon had so far been immune to the Arab Spring. In fact, the opposite is the case: the regional turmoil has been felt keenly within Lebanon. This is especially the case regarding the domestic effect of the ongoing Syrian crisis. The events in Syria have had a major impact on Lebanon, primarily because of the tight economic, political, and geo-strategic relations that historically have linked the two countries.