The Myth of Liberation

Hezbollah has always been credited with liberating Lebanon from Israeli occupation, as if it restored national sovereignty. What was called “liberation” was a buffer zone in the south, an area long defended by its own residents. These communities of Shiites, Sunnis, Christians and Druze, faced armed Palestinian groups who wanted to use their land to attack Israel, placing Lebanese civilians in danger. After Beirut became unreachable at the beginning of the civil war, cooperation with Israel became, for many, a matter of survival. At the same time, Hezbollah supported the Syrian occupation of the rest of Lebanon. That occupation controlled political life, reshaped laws and elections, appointed presidents, and extended their terms. A movement that backs such control cannot credibly claim to be a force of liberation.