Amid the complex geopolitical landscape of the Near East, Syria's relationship with Lebanon has been in the spotlight internationally.
These two countries, although they now have their own separate borders and **, they have been an integral part of the Greater Syrian region in the long course of history.
The cultural resonance and linguistic connection make the two peoples emotionally connected. However, the demarcation of political boundaries often does not follow ethnic and cultural boundaries.
Before the question of Syria's territorial claims to Lebanon, it is necessary to mention the deep historical and cultural ties between the two countries.
Syria and Lebanon share more than 90% of their cultural and historical heritage, a figure that is extremely rare internationally.
Since ancient times, the inhabitants of this region have lived in the same cultural atmosphere, and it was only in modern times that colonial forces artificially divided them.
In the 1920s, Syria and Lebanon became two separate administrative entities under the forced partition of France.
But this partition did not cause Syria to relinquish its territorial and cultural sovereignty over Lebanon.
On the contrary, about 75% of the Syrian population at that time considered Lebanon to be an integral part of it.
This belief persisted until Lebanon's declaration of independence in 1943, a position that Syria** declared null and void, a position supported by most of the Syrian political forces.
During the Cold War, Syria's relationship with Lebanon underwent twists and turns.
Syria not only exerts political influence over Lebanon, but also ensures its control over Lebanon through military intervention.
Between 1976 and 2005, Syria deployed up to 1Troops ranging from 50,000 to 40,000.
To a certain extent, this move did help to restore stability in Lebanon and end the 15-year civil war.
However, the support rating of the Syrian military presence in Lebanon has been low, with more than 70% of Lebanese expressing opposition to Syria's military involvement.
Economic ties are also a non-negligible part of Syrian-Lebanese relations.
Exchanges between Syria and Lebanon are frequent, with the amount between Syria and Lebanon reaching $3 billion, accounting for 25% of Syria's total foreign trade.
This close economic exchange provides tangible benefits to the two peoples and is one of the economic bases for Syria's insistence that Lebanon is "inherent territory".
This policy in Syria has also provoked resistance and opposition in Lebanon.
Sectarian diversity in Lebanon has led to a complex political ecology, which has undoubtedly been exacerbated by Syria's involvement.
Sectarian conflict plays a central role in Lebanese political life, and support in Syria tends to favor specific sectarians, which has sparked widespread discontent in Lebanese society.
Syria's military presence in Lebanon and its political intervention have not completely eliminated the security threat to Lebanon, especially given Lebanon's tense relations with Israel, as well as the influence of Western countries in the region.
Syria's fear of Lebanon becoming an outpost of hostile forces goes a long way to explaining why Syria is so adamant about Lebanon as its strategic buffer zone.
Syria has cited "sovereignty" and "sovereignty" at least 20 times in its foreign statements to describe its military operations in Lebanon.
In addition to military and political involvement, Syria has also promoted people-to-people exchanges with Lebanon.
Educational and cultural programs between the two countries are growing, with more than 5,000 Lebanese students enrolled in Syrian universities, up from 2,000 10 years ago.
Syria's territorial claims and political intervention in Lebanon are historical, cultural, security and economic.
This policy has helped to maintain stability in Lebanon to some extent, but it has also provoked resistance within Lebanon and exacerbated sectarian tensions.
In the future, relations between Syria and Lebanon will continue to oscillate between cooperation and conflict.
Only through the efforts of both sides and the search for genuine reconciliation and cooperation on the basis of respecting each other's independence and sovereignty can the relations between the two countries develop in a more stable and harmonious direction.