❗️Crushing 97 percent of Lebanese Shia reject normalization with Israel, back resistance weapons, poll finds An overwhelming majority of Lebanese Shia reject disarming the resistance and firmly oppose normalization with Israel, according to a survey conducted by the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation (CCSD) and reported by Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar. The survey of 1,065 residents across all governorates revealed that 84 percent view Hezbollah's arsenal as a vital instrument of "protection and deterrence as long as the threat exists," while a crushing 97 percent expressed absolute rejection of diplomatic normalization with Israel. Despite severe economic distress—with nearly 80 percent expecting living conditions to deteriorate further—confronting Israeli military aggression remains the primary concern for the community. Over 62 percent of respondents ranked ending the Israeli occupation as their paramount national priority, while nearly 50 percent cited armed resistance as the most effective path to guarantee Lebanon's security and national sovereignty, rejecting western-backed demands for unilateral disarmament. The survey also highlighted deep public distrust toward official political institutions, with 81 percent expressing no confidence in the presidency and 88 percent rejecting the current government's performance. Conversely, 56 percent voiced trust in the Lebanese Army, while 77 percent affirmed they would vote for resistance-backed electoral slates in upcoming parliamentary elections, underscoring the solid popular bedrock supporting Hezbollah's defense strategy amid ongoing Israeli military aggression.