Lebanese ready for peace, drinks in Tel Aviv after 'This is Beirut' invite, analyst to 'Post'

Independent journalist Selena Ryan, an IDF soldier, invited Lebanese civilians to Tel Aviv for drinks in a viral video. Ryan tells the Post that many Lebanese, including Shia Muslims, privately express a desire for peace with Israel, despite Hezbollah's influence. She notes a shift in sentiment following the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024.

Independent journalist and political analyst Selena Ryan, currently serving in the IDF, invited Lebanese civilians to join Israelis for beers in Tel Aviv and arak in Jaffa in a viral video. The video featured Deputy Mayor Guy Avner, who said peace between the peoples is "only a matter of time." Ryan told the Jerusalem Post that many Lebanese, including Shia Muslims, privately express a desire for peace with Israel, despite Hezbollah's influence. She said the sentiment became more widely held after Israel assassinated Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, leading many to realize Hezbollah serves Iran's agenda, not Lebanon's security. Ryan noted that political groups like Tayyar al-Taghyeer Fi al-Janoub are working to build a Lebanese Shi'a identity away from Hezbollah. The article frames the invitation as evidence of grassroots desire for peace, relying heavily on Ryan's personal observations and private messages.