US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that Israel allow Syria to “deal with Hezbollah,” claiming Damascus would do a “better job.” The proposal, which Trump has now raised twice this month, touches on some of Lebanon’s deepest anxieties: Syria’s long history of interference in its affairs and the jihadist past of the country’s new rulers.
It is unclear exactly what Trump is suggesting — deploying Syrian troops to southern Lebanon, or having Syrian forces forcibly cut off weapons supply routes. Either option would stoke fear inside Lebanon.
Syria dominated Lebanon’s political scene for nearly three decades. Syrian forces first deployed into the…