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The following are excerpts from an interview with Lebanese-American political scientist As'ad Abukhalil, which aired on New TV on January 13, 2010.
As'ad Abukhalil: The attack on Syrians in Lebanon should be given great importance, but this is part of Lebanese nationalism, which harms or kills the other, if he's not white and European. Take, for example, the cases of suicide among female foreign workers. They keep throwing themselves off balconies... You have the attacks on Syrians throughout Lebanon, as well as the cruel treatment of Palestinians...
Interviewer: With regard to the Syrians, this is the result of years of...
As'ad Abukhalil: No, the Syrian laborers suffered harassment even before the Syrian army reached Beirut. This has to do with Lebanese racism. Lebanese nationalism – just like Zionism – was founded on racism and contempt for others – whether for Lebanese of other sects or for other Arabs.
Interviewer: Many people will not like what you are saying.
As'ad Abukhalil: I am not running for elections.
Interviewer: But this is your view, and we respect it. We are a democracy, and you are free to say whatever you like.
[...]
Do you anticipate a new civil war in Lebanon?
As'ad Abukhalil: It is inevitable, one way or another. The Lebanese people, with all its sects, has never proven that it wants, or is capable of, true coexistence. Coexistence in Lebanon is coexistence in blood, conflict, and civil strife. The civil war in Lebanon was no coincidence.