It may be too early to read the results of the parliamentary elections, but it is clear that the overwhelming majority of Lebanese have chosen to vote, despite their differing choices, against Hezbollah. Furthermore, while the party won Shiite support, it has nevertheless seen a decline in its numbers, as has the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri. It is also evident that a large segment of the Lebanese population opted to cast their votes for an Arab Lebanon rather than an Iranian one, supporting the image of Lebanon as diverse and open, closely linked to the Arab body in general and the Gulf in particular.
Despite rumors, interpretations, and explanations regarding Arab diplomatic movements in the past three weeks, especially the intensive efforts made by Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari, who visited numerous political and spiritual references, this diplomatic activity has had a positive effect on electoral participation and bolstered the "change spirit." Although this diplomacy did not directly intervene in the electoral process, it acted out of concern for the electoral requirement. This activity has reinforced the trend expressed by the majority of Lebanese in the elections.
Moving forward, what needs to be built upon is the pathway to restore Lebanese-Gulf relations to their former state, which requires several steps from the upcoming government that must align its Arab openness with what the majority of Lebanese expressed in the ballot boxes.
