Lebanese artist Elissa sparked a debate on social media, attracting both supporters and critics when she responded to a tweet that criticized her. She stated, "This account is fake. An electronic fly says it's not easy to be Aouni. We saw glory during the Saudi days and we are witnessing humiliation during the Iranian days." She had previously tweeted, "I am a Lebanese Christian Maronite, and the words of a moderate Muslim cleric represent me 100 times more than those of an extremist Christian cleric who is out of touch with reality. The prayer rug does not suit anyone.”
Elissa's response garnered reactions from her followers, with several expressing their admiration for her praise of Saudi Arabia and its role in Lebanon. One user commented that "Saudi Arabia was extending its green hand to the people and the Lebanese government when the Lebanese officials were honest and were building Lebanon with Saudi money, leading the economy and tourism of Lebanon to flourish." She added, “But when Lebanese officials lost their integrity, Saudi Arabia withdrew its support upon realizing that the Saudi money was being used to mobilize Hezbollah.”
Another user remarked, "May God restore Lebanon to its Arab axis and return its dignity, and may Beirut return to its best days, bringing security and safety to the free Lebanese people, far from anyone submissive to the axis of evil, Iran, or others… I wish they had half your patriotism."
Lebanon is currently without a government, and since the crisis erupted in the fall of 2019, categorized by the World Bank as one of the most severe since 1850, the Lebanese pound has lost more than 95% of its value against the dollar. The dollar was fixed at 1,507 pounds since 1997, but it has now reached 18,000 pounds.
Additionally, these crises have coincided with rising unemployment and inflation, a shortage of many medicines, and soaring prices of mostly imported food items, leading to a rapid increase in widespread poverty, with half the population now living below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. A UNICEF survey mentioned that "the economic recession is just one of the multiple crises plaguing the country, which is reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the two massive explosions that hit the Port of Beirut in August 2020, in addition to ongoing political instability. The number of Lebanese in need of urgent assistance is rising at a record pace."
It was noted that "the World Bank described the current situation in Lebanon as one of the three largest economic collapses seen since the mid-nineteenth century," highlighting that the UNICEF survey emphasized that children are the easiest victims of this deep catastrophe and often bear its brunt.
