A Girl Questioned Why Some Lebanese Reject Being Arab

A lively debate just got sparked in Lebanon, and it’s all about identity! Yasmina Safar took to TikTok to ask why some Lebanese folks say they’re not Arabs, but Phoenicians instead. Her video quickly got people talking about what it really means to be Lebanese.

Asked why some Lebanese reject Arab identity

In her video, Yasmina Safar animatedly wondered, “Can someone explain to me why some Lebanese say we are not Arabs?” She pointed out how some people insist, “No, we are not Arabs, we are Phoenicians.” This quirky debate has been floating around for ages, but Yasmina’s take brought it back to the spotlight in a fun, relatable way.

 

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Explained identity through language and culture

Yasmina broke it down: identity isn’t just about ancient history, but about language, customs, traditions, politics, geography, and nationality. She highlighted that by all these measures, Lebanon is pretty solidly Arab. She said, “You know how you classify a person’s identity? By their language, customs, and traditions – and all of these are Arab here. Even our political and geographic situation is Arab.”

Reminded everyone of Lebanon’s Arab League membership

She didn’t stop there! Yasmina reminded viewers that Lebanon has been part of the Arab League for over 100 years. She questioned, “How can we not be Arabs?” She also poked fun at the idea of clinging to a Phoenician label from thousands of years ago, saying it’s not as cool as some might think. For Yasmina, giving up your real identity isn’t trendy – it’s just confusing!

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