Lebanon's Call for Relief Amidst the Middle East Conflict!

Lebanon's Call for Relief Amidst the Middle East Conflict!

Dr. Pradeep JNA

As the Middle East conflict continues to shape the political landscape of the region, Lebanon, a country once intended to be a peaceful support nation, finds itself at the forefront of hostility, engaging in continuous confrontations with Israel. Historically, the Arab League had assigned Lebanon a role distinct from the frontline states like Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, who bore the responsibility of direct engagement with Israel. However, since the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, Lebanon has been consistently embroiled in battles while the so-called confrontation states have pursued peace agreements with Israel.

Lebanon’s trajectory into conflict began in the late 1960s, when Palestinian armed organizations such as the PLO used the country as a base until they were expelled in 1982. Following that, the Assad regime of Syria extended its control over Lebanon under the guise of security concerns until 2005, when Iran’s Pasdaran took up the mantle, holding Lebanon hostage through Hezbollah. This domination has left Lebanon at the mercy of foreign forces, from Palestinians to Syrians and now Iranians, who have used the country as a pawn for their hegemonic ambitions, leaving the Lebanese population to bear the brunt of these incursions.

These external manipulations have left Lebanon in a precarious position. The country has faced a series of military campaigns and conflicts, supposedly in the name of liberating Arab territories or supporting the Palestinian cause, but each has failed to bring any significant political or military success. As a result, the Arab nations, from Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser to Syria and Iran, have steadily lost ground, while Lebanon has remained entangled in conflict, unable to break free from the grand deception of pan-Arabism and hegemonic posturing.

The recent involvement of Iran has further aggravated the situation. Statements by Iranian officials such as Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Ghalibaf underscore the extent of Tehran’s influence in Lebanon. Their rhetoric, tying Lebanon’s future to that of Gaza and implying that the Lebanese should continue sacrificing for the “resistance” while Iran offers support from a safe distance, reveals the extent to which the Lebanese people’s interests have been sidelined.

Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, has engaged in discussions with international envoys, including Amos Hochstein, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President, regarding the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. The resolution, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of a weapons-free zone south of the Litani River, remains a crucial point of contention. However, it is clear that the current Lebanese leadership is still grappling with internal divisions, including Hezbollah’s refusal to relinquish control of the southern region. Hochstein’s meetings with Lebanese officials revealed a lack of concrete proposals to implement the resolution, leaving the country vulnerable to further instability.

As Lebanon navigates this turbulent chapter, the ongoing involvement of external powers like Iran and Israel, combined with internal factionalism, makes it difficult for the nation to break free from the cycles of conflict. With calls for the full implementation of Resolution 1701, there is hope that Lebanon may begin to chart a course toward peace, but significant challenges remain. For now, the Lebanese people continue to shoulder the burden of a conflict that has been imposed upon them, as regional powers use their land as a battleground for their ambitions.