Lebanon is fully concerned by the Gaza events. Israel's massacres there have strained the Lebanese, Arab and Islamic streets. Such tensions are multiplied inside the Palestinian camps scattered in Lebanon. Also, the small country has other reasons for concern: the Gaza war is the first broad confrontation of the Israeli army after the July 2006 setback. This war smacks of Israel's feeling of revenge and desire to retrieve its dignity and "deterrence" capacity.

It is not easy for Lebanon to coexist with a long war in Gaza and the sight of big and small corpses under the rubble. It is also not easy for the Palestinian camps to practice self-restraint until the end. Likewise, it is not easy for Hezbollah to observe for very long the attempt to crush both Gaza and Hamas. The matter is not easy for all Arabs either, regardless of their diverging opinions. It is also not easy for Iran, which expressed a strong wish to be involved in the Mediterranean, and more specifically in the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In Beirut, which was worried by the rockets fired at Northern Israel, coexistence with this war remains difficult. When journalistic curiosity got the best of me, I went to Baabda palace to conduct my investigations. I saw President General Michel Suleiman busily following the details of this dangerous unstable situation - particularly after the Security Council's resolution failed to consecrate a ceasefire. I found the President aware of the gravity of the situation, but I also sensed his great confidence in Lebanon's ability to overcome this phase without paying its price. I felt that the lines of Baabda palace were open to the parties that are able to cause or prevent the escalation of the situation.

I felt that the President's assurance - which is relative in the dangerous and unstable situation - is the fruit of many elements, the first of which is the unified stance of the Lebanese government towards the ongoing events, despite the deep political divisions and the decisive parliamentary elections scheduled for next June. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the consensual president's main concern, or rather primary obsession, is upholding the unified stance.

As for the second element, it is the prevailing feeling in the country that Lebanon's contribution to support the Gaza inhabitants must be made under the Arab umbrella, while respecting Lebanon's obligations towards the international legitimacy - and without saddling the country with further burdens whilst it is still nurturing its previous wounds. The third element is the President's credibility he has built up in his relations with all the Lebanese, the resistance, and Syria during the last tumultuous years.

What a difficult mission Michel Suleiman is faced with. The Lebanese divisions run deep, the Arab divisions run deep, and the international situation is hazy on the eve of Obama's inauguration. The open battle of roles and cards in the region since the demise of Saddam Hussein's regime and the July war exceeds the capacities of the small country that is unable to turn into a big player or open playground. Perhaps this is why the President speaks like someone whose eyes are constantly on the balance and its scales.

What a difficult mission Michel Suleiman is faced with. He wishes to keep the idea of the State and institutions alive, and he knows that Lebanon lives beneath the remains of the State and institutions. Through the repeated dialogue meetings, he is attempting to weave an umbrella that would protect the slow steps from internal and external winds.

Between the March 14 and March 8 camps, between the Doha and the Taef agreements, between the adherence to constants and the need to adapt to changes, the President's task seems extremely hard - not to say impossible.

The President speaks with moderation and caution about the forces and the people. He is aware of the abilities of the State and the limits of his role. He tries to muster up some force for the State and the country without giving up, taking risks, or rushing. He still has the dream of the State as well as the ability to talk to everyone, and tries to have the capacity to wait, in a dangerous and unstable situation.