Hezbollah’s downfall would leave a power vacuum that could lead to the creation of a proper sovereign state – or, given the history of political infighting, more chaos
This picture taken from Lebanon 's southern city of Tyre shows smoke billowing following an Israel i air strike on the village of Zibqin on Oct. 14, amid the continuing war between Hezbollah and Israel .The Lebanese are used to war, deprivation, wealth destruction, mass protests and political chaos. Life goes on – sort of – in a country that has not felt like a real country in decades.
And there is no functioning government, the result of the political stalemate since 2022 that has prevented parliament from electing a president, leaving the country politically paralyzed when it needs a stable government most. Its greatest expansion took place after the 34-day Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006, when it essentially disregarded UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The resolution called for Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the replacement of the two belligerents by the Lebanese Army and peacekeepers attached to UNIFIL – the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
The vast majority of Christian Lebanese also dislike Hezbollah. On Saturday in Beirut, the opposition parties, led by the Lebanese Forces, the largest Christian party, got together to plea for a ceasefire, the election of a president, the disarmament of Hezbollah and the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701.
The question is whether Hezbollah will collapse, leaving a military and political vacuum that inevitably will be filled. A concerted effort to build a functioning sovereign state – that is, ending Hezbollah’s state-within-a-state status – could emerge. In other words, create a sovereign democracy that would command international respect and trigger aid programs to help rebuild the economy.
Hezbollah Lebanon Israel Country Hezbollah War Lebanon State UNIFIL Hassan Nasrallah UN Security Council
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