In an April 8, 2023 show on MTV (Lebanon), Lebanese political analyst Joseph Abu Fadel criticized the VIP welcome that was given to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh upon his arrival to Lebanon. Abu Fadel said that if Lebanon’s leaders had any dignity, they would have arrested him at the airport, because Lebanon should not tolerate Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. 

He said that the Palestinians cannot force the Lebanese people to take up arms for their sake and that UNIFIL, Hizbullah, and the Lebanese army are the ones that should be considered responsible for the rockets launched from Lebanon by Palestinian factions against Israel earlier in the week. 

He also said that this shows that the Lebanon is a state in name only. In addition, Abu Fadel asserted that Lebanon cannot continue the conflict with Israel over its land border and the Al-Aqsa Mosque after the maritime border agreement has been signed. 

Moreover, he pointed out that Christians have holy sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of the Nativity, and yet they are not behaving the same way the Muslims are behaving with regard to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.