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The Tangled Politics of Lebanon

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The Tangled Politics of Lebanon IN THIS ISSUE POWER PLAYS: The Tangled Politics of Lebanon Duration: 13:05 Lebanon may be a small country, but it’s a major player in Middle East politics. But what’s happening there lately is actually less about Lebanon and more about the big powers of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Lebanon is also Hezbollah heartland. Founded in 1982, Hezbollah, which stands for Party of God, was formed to resist Israeli occupation. But with its history of violence, it’s considered a terrorist organisation by many western countries. The CBC's Nahlah Ayed takes CREDITS us through some recent events in Lebanon and News in Review is produced by explains Hezbollah’s influence on the country's CBC NEWS and Curio.ca politics. GUIDE Writer/editor: Sean Dolan Related News in Review Stories Additional editing: Michaël Elbaz VIDEO The Assassination of Rafik Hariri (Feb 2011) Host: Michael Serapio Senior producer: Jordanna Lake Lebanon War: Israel Battles Hezbollah Packaging producer: Marie-Hélène Savard (Sep 2006) Associate producer: Francine Laprotte Forced Out: Syrian Troops Leave Lebanon Supervising manager: Laraine Bone (Apr 2005) The Mideast: Escalating Crisis (May 2002) Visit www.curio.ca/newsinreview, where you will find an archive of all previous News in Israel 2000: A New Middle East? (Apr 1999) Review seasons. As a companion resource, we recommend that students and teachers access www.cbc.ca/news for additional Other related Curio.ca content articles. Beirut (Interrupt This Program) Closed Captioning Exile Without End: Palestinians in Lebanon News in Review programs are closed captioned for the hearing impaired, for English (Radio-Canada) as a Second Language students, or for situations in which the additional on-screen print component will enhance learning. CBC authorizes reproduction of material contained in this guide for educational purposes. Please identify source. News in Review is distributed by: Curio.ca – CBC Media Solutions © 2018 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation VIDEO REVIEW 7. What does Sami Nader mean when he says, “The hostage is the whole [of] southern Before Viewing Lebanon and the whole institution of the sovereign state…”? Who does he believe is What do you know about the military, political really in charge in Lebanon? and social organization known as Hezbollah? If 8. Why do international governments have to you’ve heard of them, write down what you deal with Hezbollah if they hope to make know about them. If you’ve never heard of them, inroads in Lebanon? come up with some reasons why you don’t know anything about them (for example, maybe you After Viewing don’t follow the news or current events). Hezbollah’s main benefactor is Iran. Essentially, Viewing Hezbollah does Iran’s bidding on the west side of the Middle East in exchange for weapons and 1. What happened to Prime Minister Saad Hariri money. Both Hezbollah and Iran are dominated of Lebanon in December 2017? by Shia-affiliated military and political personnel. 2. Why did some observers claim that Saudi 1. Why do you think Hezbollah and Iran are Arabia was meddling in Lebanese politics? allies? 3. a) When was Hezbollah founded? 2. Why would Iran want to have a group b) Why were they founded? representing their interests on the west side of c) What does the the Middle East? word “Hezbollah” mean? 4. Why do countries like Canada consider Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization? 5. How has Hezbollah evolved from a small group in Lebanon to a regional player in the affairs of neighbouring countries? 6. According to Riad Tabbarah, why can’t Hezbollah ever be neutral? /2 THE STORY Minds On On February 14, 2005, the motorcade of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri passed the St. George Hotel in Beirut. Suddenly, a massive 1 000 kg TNT bomb (stored in a parked truck) was detonated, destroying the motorcade, killing Hariri and 21 others. Hariri became another casualty of Lebanese politics. He could count himself among at least a dozen Lebanese politicians who had been assassinated since 1977. The victims included President Bashir Gemayel in 1982 and Prime Minister Rashid Karami in 1987. After an extensive investigation, the finger was eventually pointed at an organization called Hezbollah for carrying out the attack. Hezbollah works closely with its main benefactor, Iran, as well as Iran’s ally, Syria. In 2010, the United Nations court at The Hague announced the indictment of four Hezbollah operatives in the killing of Hariri, with the trial expected to conclude in 2018 and the verdict expected in 2019. The current Lebanese government has been directed by Hezbollah to refuse to cooperate with the U.N. or suffer the consequences. The current prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, Rafik’s son, has supported the U.N.’s efforts. Top to bottom: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri; Reflection questions: a Lebanese soldier watches over an Independence Day military parade; a poster with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Knowing the risks, why would anyone choose to enter politics in Lebanon? What seems to happen to those who assume power in this For more on the investigation into the assassination of country? Rafik Hariri, see the February 2011 News in Review story, “The Assassination of Rafik Hariri”: www.curio.ca/en/video/the ‐assassination‐of‐rafik‐hariri‐ 1808/ /3 It’s complicated people of Iran share a common religious tradition with Hezbollah: Shia Islam. While You are not likely to encounter a more religion does figure in the group’s power complicated social and political situation than structure, it is their political and military the one that currently exists in Lebanon. Divided forcefulness that dictates the course of events along religious and sectarian lines, with rivalries in Lebanon. According to many analysts that stretch back centuries, the people of monitoring goings-on in Lebanon, no decision Lebanon lack a cohesive and unifying leadership is made without the consideration of the structure to allow them to move forward as a group. In fact, the political branch of Hezbollah nation. The party of the current prime minister has veto power when it comes to the decisions holds a loose grip on power with the support of a of the Lebanese cabinet. coalition of allied parties. His position remains tenuous and, as you are about to find out, he Power-brokers relies on the cooperation of a group that Canada (and the United States, the Arab This is the dynamic that the political leaders of League and the Gulf States, among others) has Lebanon have to deal with on a daily basis. designated as a terrorist organization. Despite the fact that there are more Sunnis in the nation than Shias, the Shia dominated Hezbollah Hezbollah has the ability to direct events in the That group is called Hezbollah and they have nation without actually holding a majority of been evolving into a major player in the seats in parliament or the office of prime Middle East. Born from the Shia Muslim revival minister or president. In essence, they are of the early 1960s, Hezbollah became a military arguably the main power-brokers in Lebanon, entity (and adopted its formal name) in the working both inside and outside of the 1980s, in the wake of Israel’s invasion of government itself. Southern Lebanon in 1978. Initially, the group Summoned to Saudi Arabia committed itself to driving the Israelis and their western partners out of Lebanon. In fact, when It is this power dynamic that created one of Israel eventually withdrew from Lebanon in the most bizarre political dramas in recent 2000, most observers credited Hezbollah with memory. Prime Minister Saad Hariri had been sending them packing. walking the tight rope between his Sunni political base and Hezbollah since he was elected in 2009. He made political The name Hezbollah means “party of God.” appointments and decisions designed to keep Iran Hezbollah from gaining too much influence. However, by late 2017, Hariri realized that his Hezbollah owes its ongoing prominence in the situation had become untenable: Hezbollah Middle East to Iran. When the group emerged was as strong as ever and his Sunni allies were after the Israeli invasion, Iran sent their frustrated. Suddenly he found himself in the Revolutionary Guard to train the militias that cross hairs of his main political partner, Saudi would eventually morph into Hezbollah. The Arabia. In early November, Hariri was /4 summoned to Riyadh, stripped of his mobile To Consider phone, confined and, eventually, forced to resign in a nationally televised address to the 1. How influential is Hezbollah in Lebanon and Lebanese people. The strong arm move by the throughout the Middle East? Saudis came in response to their concern that 2. Why did Saad Hariri go to Saudi Arabia in Hariri was being too soft on Hezbollah. The November 2017? What happened while he Sunnis of Lebanon were shocked by this and was there? raised a public outcry that drew the prime minister out of the hands of the Saudis and 3. What is Hariri’s main criticism of Hezbollah? back to his office in Beirut. Hariri was back as a relevant political player with a groundswell of public support behind him. Follow up Research the answer to the following question: Gaining strength in the region Why does Canada consider Hezbollah to be a This allowed Hariri to add more force to his terrorist organization? criticisms of Hezbollah. Originally founded to keep intruders like Israel (and their western counterparts) out of Lebanon, Hezbollah has recently started becoming involved in regional conflicts, most notably as a military force in the Syrian Civil War. Strategists and soldiers from the group have fought to maintain the rule of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
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