Israel Matzav

Ya Libnan: Time to disarm Hezbullah

I wonder how many other Lebanese have come to the realization that Jameel Theyabi has apparently reached that for Lebanon to survive as anything other than an Islamic caliphate it is necessary to disarm Hezbullah.

The true face of Hezbollah has finally been revealed. Its "ideological" mask has been lifted too. Bearing a Syrian Iranian face, this mask has concealed long years of blackmail. Hezbollah's justifications and so-called "resistance" against the enemy have collapsed. The militant movement's enemy appeared to be Lebanese after it spread destruction and leveled threats of chopping off heads.

Now is the right time to devise a mechanism to disarm Hezbollah as per the US Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701. The time has come for such a move, especially that the movement has directed its weapons at the Lebanese, has turned against the government and the people, and started settling accounts with its fellow countrymen, invading national institutions, and taking the capital hostage.

Nasrallah has long alleged that his party's policy achieves the objectives of a strong, free, and independent Lebanon. Yet, such allegations are no longer tenable. So is his claim that his strength is dedicated to the protection of Lebanon from an external - not an internal - enemy. Is the Lebanon invaded by weapons the one Nasrallah wants and champions, after he held its capital hostage, silenced its media, and shut down its schools and universities? Did he not claim that his weapons would not be directed at the Lebanese but at the Israeli enemy? Has Lebanon turned into the enemy of his party? By spreading terror and taking the country hostage, does he not give others a legitimate justification to defend themselves? Does he not set the scene for a civil war, in which the primary loser would be Hezbollah and the Lebanese people?

The problem is that Theyabi has reached this realization way too late. Who will disarm Hezbullah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, both of which are as willing to kill Lebanese as they are willing to kill Israelis? The only power in this region that has the capability to disarm Hezbullah is Israel, and that would be a bloody battle in which most of Lebanon would likely take Hezbullah's side because they believe Israel is their enemy. Instead, Theyabi engages in what I can only call wishful thinking:

Hezbollah is losing. It announced civil disobedience and is losing. It burned tires and shut down the airport and is losing. It directed its weapons at the inside and shut off homes... and it is losing. Why? It is because the world gave Hezbollah the chance to disarm as per the Security Council resolutions, which call for the disarmament of any "militia" outside the State and the law.

With its actions, Hassan Nasrallah's "militia" will turn Lebanon into another Iraq, thereby leaving Beirut prey to insecurity and instability and ensuring the proliferation of Al Qaeda, Fateh al Islam, and their likes.

The Hezbollah-led opposition in Lebanon resembles an internal current linked to the interests of countries with their own agendas and strategies. The opposition is turning Lebanon into a scapegoat that draws the world's attention to the practices of these countries. Therefore, the regional conflict is widening, deflecting the world's attention away from these countries' agendas and their stand against international legitimacy.

Lebanon is on the verge of new tensions, and a civil sectarian war is looming. Jihadi websites have called for the victory of Sunnis in Lebanon against what they dubbed the Shiite revolution and Hezbollah coup.

No, my friend. Hezbullah is not losing. They won when the world 'called for them to disarm' because the call had no teeth unless the Lebanese army gave it teeth, and we all knew even then that the Lebanese army would never do so. While al-Qaeda and Fateh al Islam may indeed try to set up bases in Lebanon, Hezbullah has the advantage of being on the ground and being on their own turf. While there may ultimately be a battle, Hezbullah is starting out with a huge advantage. And they have the hearts and minds of much of the Lebanese people.

As to Syria and Iran, their agenda is nothing new to anyone who has watched their actions since Ahmadinejad and Assad ascended to power. They have no shame about their agenda. Most of the world is not willing to even try to stop them. And they want and need to subjugate Lebanon so that they can snipe at Israel from a different direction.

Is Hezbullah a scapegoat? No. They deserve every bit of international opprobrium that they receive. But until someone stands up to them, nothing will change and life for the average Lebanese citizen will only get worse. For the time being, most of Lebanon regards the one party capable of standing up to Hezbullah as an enemy. So long as that continues, there is no hope of changing the situation.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:14 PM