A Lebanese soldier manning a machine gun, Tyre, Southern Lebanon
By Ya Libnan Editorial Board
For over 42 years, Hezbollah, created by Iran with the declared goal of liberating Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, has not liberated a single square inch of land. Despite its efforts, including attempting to assist Hamas, it has not been able to make any significant progress.
Last year, Israel launched a major attack on Hezbollah, but neither Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, nor Syria’s Assad, whose regime Hezbollah once helped save, came to its aid. Hezbollah has been left isolated.
On September 23, a tragic incident occurred when hundreds of Hezbollah walkie-talkies exploded, killing 39 fighters and injuring over 3,000. Just days later, on September 27, Israel bombed Hezbollah’s central command near Beirut, killing Hassan Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for 32 years. His successors were also swiftly assassinated, leaving Hezbollah leaderless.
Over 1.2 million Shiites from southern Lebanon and the Bekaa region, once relying on Hezbollah for protection, have now been displaced. Despite Hezbollah’s claim that it launched attacks on Israel to defend Lebanon, the reality is that Lebanon was not under attack, and the Lebanese government was not consulted.
For decades, Lebanon’s political elite thrived on a sectarian power-sharing system outlined in the Taif Agreement, which provided some economic stability after the civil war. Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm after Israel’s withdrawal in 2000 was a key factor in destabilizing this fragile system, as the group grew into a state within a state, wielding military and political power unchecked.
Hezbollah’s leader, Nasrallah, aligned himself closely with Iran’s Supreme Leader, dragging Lebanon into wars that caused immense destruction, as seen in the 2006 conflict with Israel. In 2008, Hezbollah’s armed forces even briefly seized Beirut, cementing their dominance over Lebanon’s political landscape.
The group’s alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement, led by former President Michel Aoun, was similarly disastrous. The 2019 protests and the 2020 Beirut port explosion, which Hezbollah attempted to obstruct investigations into, further eroded its support. Lebanon’s political paralysis has led to economic collapse, with the Lebanese lira losing nearly 99% of its value and over 80% of the population now living below the poverty line.
In a further blow, Hezbollah’s key ally, Iran, has abandoned the group. Nasrallah’s successor and even Iran’s own Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, were killed without Tehran taking action. The so-called “Axis of Resistance” is now dead, and Hezbollah finds itself without allies.
Lebanon’s Shiites, who have suffered the most from Hezbollah’s allegiance to Iran, deserve better. Their homes are destroyed, and many are now homeless in the streets of Beirut.
It is time for Hezbollah to act responsibly by pledging allegiance to Lebanon and placing its arms in the hands of the Lebanese Army. Only the state, through its army, can defend Lebanon and protect its people. Events have shown that only one state can exist in any country.
By handing over its arms, Hezbollah can help restore stability, allowing Lebanon to rise again, elect a president, and strengthen its institutions. This would be the greatest gift to Lebanon’s Shiite community, who have paid the highest price for Hezbollah’s allegiance to Iran.
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