Time for Lebanese Shiites to rise and demand the disarmament of Hezbollah to save Lebanon

Photo: People gather around the Lebanese flag during a march in Beirut as Lebanon marks the fourth anniversary of the August 4, 2020, port explosion. Reuters

Ya Libnan Editorial: By Ali Hussein

After more than ten months of low-scale conflict, Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah are threatening all-out war. The United States and the international community claim to be lobbying for calm and a diplomatic solution, yet they continue to fuel the war in Gaza by supplying Israel with arms. Their hypocrisy has rendered their efforts ineffective, and the window for a political settlement may be closing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ultra-rightist coalition appear uninterested in peace. Their ultimate aim seems to be to force the Palestinians out of Gaza and replace them with Israeli settlers, much like the situation in the occupied West Bank.

The problem for Lebanon lies in Hezbollah’s insistence on linking its conflict with Israel to the war in Gaza. Hezbollah refuses to cease its hostilities against Israel unless the war in Gaza ends. This stance disproportionately impacts the Shiite community in southern Lebanon, who are suffering the most. While the rest of the country parties and enjoys life, the Shiites of southern Lebanon have had to flee to safer areas. Unlike during the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, these displaced individuals are reportedly not being treated as well this time around.

The primary issue for both the Shiites and the rest of Lebanon is Hezbollah itself. Hezbollah initiated the conflict with Israel on October 8, just a day after Hamas launched its attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people and the taking of over 250 hostages. Hezbollah fighters continue to hide and store their arms in residential areas, endangering the lives of Shiites and exacerbating their suffering.

Hezbollah has become an enormous burden on Lebanon. It is high time that the respected Shiite community, along with all Lebanese citizens, rise against Hezbollah and demand its disarmament, with its weapons handed over to the Lebanese army. Only the Lebanese army should be responsible for defending the nation.

Hezbollah’s actions are not about defending Lebanon, as they claim, but rather about enhancing Iran’s influence at the expense of the Lebanese people, especially the Shiite community, who suffer the most. Should war break out, Lebanon will bear the brunt of it. Hezbollah has plunged Lebanon into chaos, and no help can be expected from Iran, whose regime is on shaky ground. If Iran were to join the war alongside Hezbollah, Israel might finally resort to using its nuclear arsenal to devastate Iran—a fact no one should ignore.

Lebanon has been without a president for nearly two years, primarily because Hezbollah, lacking a parliamentary majority, is trying to impose its candidate, much like it did in 2016. In 2005, Hezbollah assassinated former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, a crucial figure who rebuilt Beirut after the civil war.

In 2006, Hezbollah initiated another war with Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 Lebanese and the destruction of the country’s infrastructure. In 2008, Hezbollah occupied western Beirut and attempted to seize Mount Lebanon.

In 2013, Hezbollah sent thousands of young Shiites to support Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad against the Syrian people, contributing to the displacement of more than 12 million Syrians. Two million of these displaced individuals fled to Lebanon, further destabilizing the country. On August 4, 2020, the Lebanese port was devastated by the explosion of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, stored there for use by the Syrian regime in barrel bombs against civilians. The explosion killed 220 people, injured 7,000, and displaced over 300,000.

When a prominent Shiite researcher exposed Hezbollah’s role in the bombing, Hezbollah assassinated him. On February 4, 2021, Lebanese activist and Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim was found dead in his car, and his family accused Hezbollah of the assassination. Two judges have tried to investigate the port explosion; the first was fired for accusing Hezbollah’s allies, and the second has faced relentless pressure from Hezbollah to step down. As a result, not one politician has been detained.

Lebanon is now a bankrupt nation, with Hezbollah protecting the corrupt politicians who have stolen the savings of the Lebanese people and sent the money to their overseas accounts. Before the October Revolution, there was reported $167 billion in the Lebanese banking system. However, the revolution failed due to Hezbollah’s interference. Despite the movement spanning religious backgrounds and even fellow Shiites criticizing Hezbollah, the group used its so-called resistance fighters to crush the October Revolution.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah recently warned Israel that his group has new weapons and capabilities, even publishing surveillance drone footage taken deep inside northern Israel, including the port of Haifa. Just imagine the consequences for Lebanon if Hezbollah were to bomb Haifa.

The situation is dire, especially with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is dangerous and irrational, seeking to prolong the war to avoid facing justice after the Gaza conflict ends.

As a Shiite myself, I urge all Lebanese to rise and join me in demanding that Hezbollah should immediately disarm and hand its weapons over to the Lebanese army, which we all proudly support.