By Daily Star Editorial 

The last 12 months, give or take, have been a case of the Lebanese people living on the edge.
The year began with the dramatic fall of the government, supposedly a plot to usher in an alternative to Prime Minister Saad Hariri – but the “ushering in” part took nearly another six months to thrash out. Some political factions spent weeks after telling the public that they would only join a new government if certain demands were met, as people wondered whether there was any hope that the country would move forward.

The so-called Arab Spring also erupted, presenting challenge after challenge to the authorities. Beirut would have to produce a coherent foreign policy, as it was being asked for its opinion on how to deal with the popular uprisings in various countries. Lebanon was obliged to vote at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, and at United Nations headquarters in New York, but on several occasions, rather than take a stand, the best that politicians could do was to “disassociate” themselves.

The unrest next door in Syria has presented other challenges, such as tension on the northern and eastern borders, and a flow of Syrian refugees in the direction of Lebanon. What if things take a turn for the worse? Politicians have repeatedly issued statements of reassurance, but there is little comfort about whether Lebanon will actually be able to absorb the turbulence.

Another drama was whether the government would collapse over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, leaving people wondering about the short-term future.

On cost-of-living issues, the matter of an across-the-board wage hike has been on the minds of many people. The government not only took its time, but also managed to split in two; one minister championed one solution, while others negotiated with the private sector, to produce another one. As the public watched one postponement of the matter after another, the Shura Council struck down the measure as unconstitutional.

Round two of the wage hike saga has produced a nearly similar, divided and uncertain result. The only sure thing is that the government has failed to keep inflation under control, which means any wage hike will be largely eroded by the time it becomes law. Some politicians vowed that a pay raise “gift” would appear in time for Christmas, but this appears to be yet another broken promise.

As the holidays approach, the Lebanese could use a break from the uncertainty of living on the edge throughout the year. They have spent 2011 observing delay after delay in getting the country’s business done, by a government that pledged to “get to work.”

Politicians could do people a huge favor by refraining from any more infighting, grandstanding and delaying solutions until after the New Year. People need a break, and the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season in peace.