Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Free eNewsletter
    • eNewsletter SignUp
    • View past eNewsletters
  • Toggle search form
  • Vote Yes campaign button, Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Low Arab early voting turnout in important Orland Park elections American Arabs
  • Aziz Shihab, long time Arab American journalist and author.
    A memorial to a great Arab American Journalist, Aziz Shihab American Arabs
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin Civil Rights
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race American Arabs
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections American Arabs
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon American Arabs
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land American Arabs
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers Culture
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Activism
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach Activism
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
Ghassan Rubeiz

To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?

Posted on January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 By Ghassan Rubeiz 1 Comment on To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Loading

To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?

By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz

Ghassan Rubeiz
Ghassan Rubeiz

The Lebanese remain split over the issue of the armed presence of Hezbollah. Stuck in a stalemate, absent honest local dialogue, the situation of the country moves from bad to worse. What comes next?

On January 13, the outgoing army chief of Israel warned that if war with Hezbollah takes place, his country “will send Lebanon 50 years back in time”. 

Ziyad Taste of the Middle East

Has not Israel already sent Lebanon several decades back in time: displacement of Palestinian refugees, an occupation lasting 22 years, an invasion precipitating Sabra and Shatila massacre (in 1982), frequent penetration of Lebanon’s air space and repeated assaults on “suspect” residential communities and the airport?

On Jan 13 also, local news highlighted a remarkable announcement from Iran during a visit of its foreign minister to Lebanon. The FM of the Islamic Republic reported that Tehran’s relations with Riyadh are improving, and could ultimately lead to the restoration of diplomatic relations.

Ghassan Rubeiz
Ghassan Rubeiz

 

The first news item from Tel-Aviv is possibly an exaggerated threat, revealing Israeli exasperation and its full preparation for a possible regional war. And the Iranian announcement is somewhat of an inflated gesture of reassurance to a highly depressed Lebanese audience. It could also indicate that Iran is currently overstressed (persisting domestic unrest and growing external threats), and that Saudi Arabia no longer counts on Washington to guarantee its national security.  

 

In Beirut, the political vacuum continues. The post of President of the Republic has been vacant for over three months: eleven separate parliamentary presidential election sessions have failed so far to overcome the impasse. The country has been run by a caretaker cabinet with a very restricted mandate.

A sudden and overwhelming change in demography adds fuel to the economic depression. A native population of six millions, hosts one million Syrian and over 200, 000 Palestinian refugees. Jobs are hard to come by, and salaries have lost most of their purchasing power – after the Lebanese currency lost 95 % of its 2019 value. Residents carry local currency in large paper bags on their way to the grocery. A 100 dollar banknote is exchanged (in the black market) for about 4,500, 000 Lebanese pounds.

Local banks are in a default mode. In a dollarized economy, banks are not willing to return deposits to customers in foreign currency. To reduce their liabilities to depositors, banks have invented an exploitative scheme. Depositors withdraw limited amounts from their dollar accounts at rates equivalent to a fraction of market value. Capital manipulation by the local banks has reduced the dollar accounts of depositors over the past three years by a significant margin. Real estate prices have plummeted and tourism is depressed. Emigration of doctors and other skilled labor continues in large numbers. The Lebanese diaspora is playing a major role in saving their home country from collapse by wiring remittances on a monthly basis. 

There is no fear of a civil war at the present, but there are rising incidents of depositors holding bank employees as hostages in order to have access to their personal accounts. 

In three years, a largely middle-income society has dropped to a level of poverty. But the crisis has roots beyond a few years. The Taif Agreement, a Saudi sponsored accord which terminated a fifteen-year long civil war in 1990, did pacify the warlords and calm the fighting, but this rushed deal did not respond to the fundamental issues underpinning the conflict. Historically, Lebanon has never had a popular government and a strong national army to deal with sharp cultural differences in an ethically mosaic society, to control sectarian leadership and maintain border security. Since its formation as a state in 1920, every ten to fifteen years Lebanon has fallen into a crisis of one sort or another. The October 2019 popular uprising was the start of the latest phase of unrest. Will 2023 bring relief or additional turmoil?

In the public discourse and the media there is obsessive talk about corruption; its worst manifestation being at the highest level of power. Local leaders are not motivated to discuss the root-causes of the crisis, out of fear of punitive consequences. On the significance of “productive dialogue” in the search for a resolution of the local conflict, read a sound commentary by Halim Shebaya.

While it may be therapeutic to dwell on shameless spread of illegal income and fortunes made by devious banking schemes, corruption is only one contributing factor to the crisis. To fully understand Lebanon, one has to examine its regional neighborhood closely.

There are two politically contrasting views on Lebanon’s political dynamics. One perspective blames the alliance of Hezbollah, Syria and Iran for most of Lebanon’s ongoing malaise. This thinking is highly appreciated in Washington and Tel Aviv. It argues that as long as Hezbollah is heavily armed, acting as a state-within-a-state, there is no chance for Lebanese society to build a fully sovereign state. With a categorical frame of mind, over the past three years, the United States has imposed severe economic sanctions on Hezbollah’s vast network in Lebanon. To what extent have such sanctions accelerated the rapid economic collapse of the country? It is hard to measure the exact impact of these sanctions; however, the timing of punitive measures does coincide with the start of rapid decline of the banking system.

The opposing perspective is focused on perception of Israel‘s record in the region.  Proponents of this stance argue that Lebanon is not in a position to ever trust Israel’s policies toward its immediate neighbors. Supporters of the “Resistance” movement assert that Hezbollah’s forces are vital (auxiliary) to the Lebanese army. The ideologues of this defiant outlook consider Israel a “satellite” of the US and blame it for the displacement of Palestinian refugees (of the 1948 and 1967 War) in Lebanon. They add that Israel’s victory created a powerful and lasting momentum of national resistance in Lebanon, and elsewhere. Israel’s rapid territorial expansion in the Arab world led to the formation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in the Lebanese refugee camps. 

We are reminded that national resistance is hard to quell:  When the PLO was evicted by Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982, the Lebanese Shiite community took over the resistance strategy and developed it to integrate military defense with social services. During the 1980s the Shiite community, which faced the brunt of Israel’s brutality in south Lebanon, formed an armed national resistance of its own; the Party of God, Hezbollah in Arabic, was born. In 2000, Hezbollah succeeded to push Israel out of south Lebanon, by launching repeated guerilla attacks over a two-decade period. But Israel’s physical withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 -and from Gaza in 2005- did not alter its course of ongoing land and resource acquisition.

The dominant Shiite leadership and demography in Hezbollah has a dramatic historical context. When Israel occupied south Lebanon between 1978 and 2000 (where the Shiite community constituted a majority of the local population, and the Christians a minority) the Jewish state armed some militant factions of the local Christians to help in the administration of the affairs of the occupied zone. This (now dissolved) Christian militia was known as the South Lebanon Army. Facing a coalition of the Israeli armed forces and the so-called  South Lebanon Army, the Shiite community felt that it must resort to armed resistance in order to survive.

Regrettably, the Western view of Hezbollah does not acknowledge the history and the raison d’etre of this political movement. Washington’s approach to Hezbollah seems to be more reflexive rather than reflective.

Indeed, Lebanon cannot enjoy full sovereignty, as it continues to host a powerful militia which operates beyond the framework of the national armed forces. But many believe, that the alternative to having a supplementary force maybe worse, given a worn out sectarian Lebanese political power-sharing, and given Lebanon’s porous national borders.  A large segment of the population believe that before repatriating the Syrian and Palestinian refugees, it would be unrealistic to speak of building a reliable national defense strategy and building a democracy. Supporters of the Resistance assert that disarming Hezbollah, to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, would make sense, had the surrounding milieu of Lebanon been secure and friendly.

To many, it sounds logical that disarming Hezbollah would first require the resolution of the Syrian crisis, the forming of a genuine roadmap for Palestinian statehood – or at least basic human rights and finally the restoration of good relations between the Arab Gulf states and Iran. In fact, current conditions in the region are not conducive to the building of genuine sovereignties or democracies anywhere in the region. Lebanon for the next decade, could still aspire to resume the normal functions of statehood with conditional sovereignty and relative security.

Without dialogue with Hezbollah it would be difficult for Washington to envisage even a partial recovery for Lebanon. It is inconsistent that Washington sanctions Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, for its “aggressive intervention” in the region, while it watches its closest ally in the region, Israel, planning to annex the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel has already annexed the Syrian Golan Heights (in 1983) without facing any international response.

Many observers of the region are now wondering what is Tel-Aviv’s next dramatic move.  And Israel’s own liberal segment of society is currently alarmed by the new policies of their extreme rightwing government. 

Assuming that Iran and Israel could manage to avoid a highly dangerous military confrontation, Lebanon will survive its current crisis. No matter which side of the current political debate in Lebanon is right or wrong, attempts to resolving the country’s severe crisis through the application of extreme and punitive forms of pressure has  not worked so far, and maybe counterproductive.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ghassan Rubeiz
Ghassan Rubeiz
Blogger, writer at The Arab Daily News online
Dr. Ghassan Rubeiz is an Arab-American writer, journalist and commentator on issues of development, peace and justice. He is the former Middle East Secretary of the Geneva-based World Council of Churches. Reach him at rubeizg@gmail.com.
Ghassan Rubeiz
Latest posts by Ghassan Rubeiz (see all)
  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel - March 11, 2023
  • Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land - February 18, 2023
  • To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon? - January 17, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Ghassan Rubeiz, Iran, Lebanon, Opinion, Saudi Arabia, Syria Tags:commentary, Ghassan Rubeiz, Hezbollah, Iran, Lebanon, opinion, terrorism, violence

Post navigation

Previous Post: CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
Next Post: Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12

Related Posts

  • 2019 TV pix Algerian CAN championship
    Tiki-Taka Viva Algeria: Yes, [we] CAN 19  Abdennour Toumi
  • Rubio’s humiliation offers break for Middle East peace American Arabs
  • Conflicting Israeli and Jordanian statements on murder of Judge Raed Zeiter Ali Younes
  • I love journalism. But the piece about me in @CrainsChicago probably wasn’t that. Photo courtesy of Phil Tadros
    The truth behind what instigated Crain’s “Special Report” on me, Phil Tadros American Arabs
  • Spec Script, Spies and Vanunu Mordechai Arab World
  • Children carry Icons of the Orthodox Church at services in Taybeh, Palestine March 1, 2015
    Sunday of Orthodoxy Celebrated in Taybeh, Palestine Arab World

More Related Articles

Map of Hebron showing location of Palestinian home being taken by Israeli settlers in Israeli occupied Hebron. Photo courtesy of Peace Now Peace Now denounces settler takeover of Arab home in Hebron Arab World
USS Liberty Ship's Patch The Attack on the USS Liberty is NOT a “Conspiracy Theory” Bloggers
US Israel Nuclear Entanglements and Occupation of Palestine #FreeVanunu #FreePalestine Arab World
US Baptists raise funds to help oppressed Iraqi Christians Arab World
Donald Trump, The Sword of Damocles and Hair-Trigger Alerts #TrumpInaugural American Arabs
USS Liberty Ship's Patch Highly Praised US Navy Historian Ignores 50+ Years of USS Liberty History Bloggers

Comment (1) on “To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?”

  1. Pingback: To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in ... - The Arab Daily News | Bible Prophecy In The Daily Headlines

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • راى حنانيا. Ray Hanania
    Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
    March 18, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    Two parallel uprisings in Israel
    March 11, 2023
  • Racist anti-Arab Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot poses with Edwards Realty President Ramzi Hassan posted on Facebook on posted June 3, 2022 right after the second press conference demanding that Lightfoot end her discrimination.
    Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan
    February 22, 2023
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • 300x300-ZIYAD02.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN02.jpg
  • 300x300-ZIYAD01.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN01.jpg
  • NEWS
  • Vote Yes campaign button, Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Low Arab early voting turnout in important Orland Park elections
    March 31, 2023
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
    March 19, 2023
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
    March 17, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon
    February 22, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118
    February 9, 2023
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach
    February 8, 2023
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

First Installment of the Property Tax

POPULAR POSTS

  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel Two parallel uprisings in Israel By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Israel is currently shaken by two parallel revolts. In what seems ... posted on March 11, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Currently living in Orland Park with her supportive husband and ... posted on February 9, 2023
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues Call me Arab, don't call me MENA writer argues Columnist Ray Hanania argues that the term MENA to describe Arab ... posted on March 18, 2023
  • Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race The Arab American Democratic Club released its official endorsements ... posted on March 17, 2023
  • AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections ENDORSEMENTS APRIL 4, 2023 The Arab American Democratic Club ... posted on February 21, 2023
  • Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Salem Furrha and his eight children @theFurrhaFamily on TikTok and Instagram represent ... posted on February 6, 2021

Recent Posts

  • Low Arab early voting turnout in important Orland Park elections
  • International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
  • Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land
    February 18, 2023
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme