24 February 2016By Abdulrahman Al-Rashed
As a result of Saudi actions against the Lebanese Hezbollah, some are confused
and think that the Lebanese people are satisfied or are in cahoots with the
group. Is this really the case?
Let us remember that those who assassinated Rafik Hariri were members of
Hezbollah as proved by international investigators. They killed him like they
killed a number of Lebanese symbols that dared to stand up to the Iranian camp
i.e. Hezbollah and the Assad regime. They killed ministers including Mohamad
Shatah and Basil Fuleihan and military leaders like François Al-Hajj. They
also killed Wissam Al-Hassan; one of the most important security officials who
monitored Hezbollah members. Major Wissam Eid was assassinated for the same
reason and so were intellectuals such as George Hawi.
Members of Hezbollah also killed prominent Christian leaders including
Minister Pierre, the son of Amine Gemayel who is the leader of the Kataeb
Party. Pierre was killed at the age of 34 because he dared to challenge them.
They also killed the writer Samir Kassir and distinguished journalists such as
the editor in chief of the Al-Nahar newspaper Gebran Tueni. Anchorwoman May
Chidiac was also targeted- a bomb was placed under her car. She survived but
lost an arm and a leg. However, she continues to criticise them to this day.
When Hassan Nasrallah's militias invaded Sunni areas in west Beirut six years
ago, killing many people and destroying their property, the leader of the
Druze Walid Jumblatt stood in solidarity with the inhabitants of these areas
against Hezbollah. As a result, Hezbollah's militias attacked Druze areas in
the mountains killing 46 people and injuring 123. The bravest of those who
challenged Hezbollah is Samir Geagea who even after his release continues to
confront the Assad regime and Hezbollah.
Even among Shiites, there are young people who dared to demonstrate in front
of the Iranian embassy in Beirut to protest against Hezbollah's intervention
in Syria. Members of the party attacked them and shot their leader Hashem
Salman in the head in an ugly public execution.
For this reason, it is not possible to say that the Lebanese people did not
try to challenge Iranian hegemony. However, Hezbollah possesses power built on
its false resistance of Israel- a lie that was believable at the time and that
was supported by gullible Arabs.
The reason for my historical and political review is the emergence of a trend
that associates all Lebanese people with Hezbollah. The majority of Lebanese
people wish to be rid of the group ideologically and militarily for internal
reasons not related to Saudi Arabia or Syria. It has restricted their lives,
created a state of fear which has caused the emigration of hundreds of
thousands of people and the aversion of investors.
It is too complicated to demand that the Lebanese people confront the Iranians
and Hezbollah at the present moment. However, at the same time, there isn't an
external power that is ready to support them; just like the condition of the
Syrian people who have been left to be slaughtered.
Saudi Arabia's decision to withdraw its support to the Lebanese army is
justified because its aim was to strengthen state institutions in the face of
extremist organisations such as Hezbollah and ISIS. Hezbollah has started to
use the army in the war against the Syrians and to protect its fronts and
boundaries, and it is clear that the leaders of the army are powerless.
Riyadh's decision, therefore, is wise because it targets Hezbollah. In
addition to this, the cessation of Saudi flights to Beirut, urging Saudi
citizens to leave and putting people and companies affiliated with Hezbollah
on the blacklist are all justified decisions in the face of rising tensions
with Iran and its agent Hezbollah, especially after it was revealed that the
group was planning to hijack a Saudi plane in the Philippines.
However, I do not imagine that Saudi Arabia will abandon its support of the
forces that confront Hezbollah, and will not stop dealing with Lebanese people
who have nothing to do with it. I imagine that Saudi Arabia will increase its
support of all those who confront Iran and its allies, including Lebanon and
even opposition forces in Iran.
Al Rashed is the general manager of Al -Arabiya television. He is also the
former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al- Awsat, and the leading Arabic weekly
magazine, Al Majalla. He is also a senior Columnist in the daily newspapers
of Al Madina and Al Bilad. He is a US post-graduate degree in mass
communications. He has been a guest on many TV current affairs programs. He
is currently based in Dubai.
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