Lebanon and the Political context of the Assassination of Pierre Gemayel By Feroze H. Mithiborwala

Lebanon and the Political context of the Assassination of Pierre Gemayel

By Feroze H. Mithiborwala

Al-Jazeerah, November 27, 2006

As usual the Western Media has blamed the assassination of Pierre Gemayel on Syria. The bias of the Western Media led by the BBC, CNN and FOX was evident during the Israeli aggression on Lebanon. They continue to refer to the present Siniora government as anti-Syrian, even though it is a proxy for the US-Israeli-French-Saudi axis. On the other hand they continue to insinuate that the political parties led by the Hizbullah and its allies are pro-Syrian even though they truly represent the majority of the patriotic Lebanese people even though they are supported by Syria and Iran.

The simple question we need to ask is which are the forces that clearly stand to benefit from the assassination and therefore we need to analyse the situation within Lebanon and the West Asian region.

- The momentous victory of the Lebanese National Resistance over the Israeli army has forever shattered the myth of Israeli invincibility. The national unity of the Lebanese people across religious and sectarian divisions and the emergence of a national Lebanese identity was the key to the victory. The entire US-Zionist strategy of War as an instrument to reshape the region has reached its limits.

- The courageous Palestinian people continue to resist in spite of the daily slaughter by the Israeli Zionist Nazi onslaught.

- Similarly both in Iraq and in Afghanistan the resistance to the US-NATO occupation continues to grow and by their own admission the US led alliance is losing the war.

- This war has finally led to the awakening of the American people which was evident during the mid-term elections where Bush and his Neo-cons and the Zionist lobby were routed.

- Even the American ruling class led by the weapons and oil lobbies have realised that the American empire itself is at stake. Therefore the James Baker-Hamilton Iraq study group has recommended the involvement of Iran and Syria for the US to save what left of its honour in Iraq. They are also challenging the hegemony of the neo-cons and the Zionists over American Foreign Policy, especially in West Asia which is undoubtedly biased towards Israel to the exclusion of all other nations and peoples.

The US policy over Palestine which is seen through the prism of Jewish and Christian Zionists is itself being challenged. Undoubtedly Palestine is the core issue and only a just solution for the people of Palestine and Israel will finally end seemingly endless cycle of hatred, violence and wars.

The struggle between the hardcore Neo-cons and Zionists represented by Bush, Cheney, Rice, Perle and Wolfowitz and the "pragmatic imperialists" led by James Baker and Hamilton as well as key sections of the Democrats will decide the future course of US foreign policy.

It is in this context that we have to analyse the assassination of Pierre Gemayel who was brutally killed on the November 21, 2006. On 19th November, Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah called for the resignation of the government and clearly stated that the Lebanese people will not accept a government that operates on on the dictats of the US embassy in Beirut. He called for a government of National Unity and for elections soon after. Earlier the cabinet ministers of the Hizbullah and the Amal resigned. General Michel Aoun who represents the majority of the Christian Maronite community, stated that the government has lost the moral right to rule as the majority of the people are no longer represented.

The government continued to refuse to acknowledge these very legitimate and democratic demands. Thus Hassan Nasrullah called for mass protests for an indefinite period until the government agreed to finally honour the democratic aspirations of the majority and was to soon announce the date.

THE ASSASSINATION OF PIERRE GEMAYEL WAS CARRIED OUT TO PRE-EMPT THE MASS DEMOCRATIC UPSURGE OF THE LEBANESE PEOPLE NOW UNITED ACROSS RELIGIOUS AND SECTARIAN DIVISIONS !!!

The history of Lebanon has been one of sectarian divisions, civil wars and Israeli aggression. Lebanon was carved out of Syria by the French colonialists to create a Christian dominated state in the Levant. The French created a constitution and a political system based exclusively on religious and sectarian identities. Thus the Lebanese people were doomed and the project of creating a Lebanese national identity was practically impossible given the confessional nature of the Lebanese political system.

After the brutal civil wars during the 70' and 80's and the subsequent Israeli War and Occupation, Lebanon lay enslaved and hopelessly divided. It was the resistance of the Hizbullah in the post 1982 period that finally began to give shape to a Lebanese national identity which could override narrow religious and sectarian divisions. This led to the defeat and withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon in the year 2000, though Israel continued to occupy the Sheba'a farms.

The victory also brought about national reconciliation between the various communities.

The Israeli aggression in July-August 2006 which suffered a resounding defeat is again threatening to divide Lebanese society.

It is also important to analyse Lebanese society. The Shi'is constitute 40% of the population and are historically the most marginalised both politically and socio-economically. The Maronite Christians constitue 35% and the Sunnis 20% and the rest are the Druze.

On the one hand are the Hizbullah and the Amal which represent practically all of the Shi'i community. The Free Patriotic Movement of General Michel Aoun represents 80% of the Maronite Christian community. Ex-PM Salim Hoss of the Third Front and other Nasserites as well as Sunni Islamists represent 40% of the Sunni population and Talal Arsalan represents 20% of the Druze community. The Lebanese Communist part is a key constituent and is playing a very constructive role in forging this alliance. During the war, 80% of the Christians, 87% of the Sunnis and all of the Shias supported the Hizbullah led Resistance. Clearly the majority is with the Hizbullah led alliance. This is the same alliance that defeated the Israeli war machine and now they believe that it is time to overthrow the cabal which is propped up by the US-Saudi-Israeli nexus.

The strategy of the Hizbullah led alliance, is for a peaceful and democratic revolution. It is clear to all that if this alliance takes to the streets, the government will fall in a matter of days. The Siniora government cannot match either the mobilising capacity or the moral legitimacy of the revolutionary alliance. The challenge before the Hizbullah is to mantain the unity as well as withstand the provocation of the US-Israeli proxies. The time tested weapon for formenting civil wars in Lebanon has been assassinations. After the Israeli defeat we knew that the Israeli startegy would now focus on assassinations and civil war. It is only in that situation that Israel can ever hope to avenge its defeat and thus the brutal murder of Pierre Gemayel. The Maronite Christain leadership is being targetted so as to divide the forces especially led by General Michel Aoun and the Hizbullah, which together represent the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese people. Since the war, six leaders have been assassinated and this Israeli policy will continue though I believe that the Lebanon of the 70's and 80's is not the same, post the victory and the emergence of the Hizbullah as the stabilizing national force.

Even for Syria to engage in assassinations of anti-Syrian forces is untenable. The assassination of Rafik Hariri who enjoyed warm and cordial relations with all political forces, especially with Hassan Nasrullah is also one that needs to be analysed. That assassination led to the withdrawal of the Syrian army due to mass protests and finally to the invasion by Israel. The Hariri assassination was also one that helped the Israeli cause.

After the defeat of the Bush Junta, Syria has established official relations with the Iraqi government, after a gap of 25 years. Iran has called for a trilateral conference involving Iraq and Syria so as to stabilise the situation in Iraq which is undergoing an American imposed genocide. One of the major tasks I believe is to preserve the unity of Iraq as well as bring about a constructive dialogue between the Arab Shias and Sunnis as well as the Kurds. What will be discussed is the sharing of political power as well as the Oil wealth whilst preserving the unity of Iraq. Whilst the Israeli-US game plan is to divide Iraq along sectarian and ethnic fault-lines.

This equation is a nightmare for the Neo-cons, Israel and the Saudis.

On the one hand it is clear to all that the pro-US Lebanese government will soon collapse as it has lost democratic legitimacy. If they are to survive they have no option but to further align themselves with the US-Israeli imperialist alliance.

On the other hand is the Hizbullah led alliance which has no option but to overthrow the proxy government and address the aspirations of the Lebanese masses. They defeated the Israeli militarily and now they have to win the political battle against the US-Israeli stooges. The challenge is to achieve it through democratic and peaceful means whilst carrying the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese people.

I know that they can do it.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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editor@aljazeerah.info