Ten years on, the war on Lebanon continues (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

We commemorate the 10th anniversary of the war triggered by Hezbollah on July 12, 2006, which led to Israel destroying parts of Lebanon’s infrastructure and Iran tightening its grip on the country. Hezbollah still believes it achieved a “divine victory” over Israel, in a war that effectively ended with the party triumphing over both Lebanon and its people.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/07/14/Ten-years-on-the-war-on-Lebanon-continues.html

Obama’s false dichotomy and undermining of the moderates (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

By all appearances, the Arab world today looks awash in extremism. However, the prominence of those violent and regressive elements appears, in part, a direct result of the strategy put forth by the White House. The submergence of rational voices also seems to be its outcome. In pursuing a single-minded policy of rapprochement with Iran, President Obama has sought to undermine the moderate – Sunni and Shiite – elements from the Middle Eastern political landscape

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/05/13/Obama-s-false-dichotomy-and-undermining-of-the-moderates.html

Saad Hariri versus the ‘supreme leader’ (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

Former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri touched upon several important issues in his speech delivered recently. The most important part of his speech was: “Lebanon will not be, under any circumstances, an Iranian province. We are Arabs, and Arabs we shall remain.” This goes on to show that there is awareness as far as the dangers of Iranian expansionism is concerned.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/22/Saad-Hariri-versus-the-supreme-leader-.html

The Syrian regime has never negotiated (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

It was normal to suspend the Syria talks in Geneva, considering it was more of a dialogue of the deaf. There is no point meeting to tackle the crisis amid the absence of agreement among influential powers, particularly Washington and Moscow, for a transitional phase that transfers power from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his regime.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/10/The-Syrian-regime-has-never-negotiated.html

Is Hezbollah targeting a VP position in Lebanon? (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

Has electing a president in Lebanon become possible now that there are two candidates, Michel Aoun and Suleiman Franjieh? Or do Hezbollah’s aims extend beyond the Maronite presidential post and go as far as limiting the jurisdiction of the Sunni prime minister?

Hezbollah could have announced its support for Aoun as president, especially after Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea endorsed him even though they are bitter rivals. Hezbollah does not seem to be in a rush to elect a president. So was the 2008 Doha Agreement, which brought Michel Suleiman to the presidency, the last successful attempt to elect a president without having to amend the constitution?

The next few weeks will reveal whether Hezbollah aims to bring a candidate they approve of to the presidency, or amend the constitution in order to establish a fixed Shiite post through which Hezbollah, and thus Iran, can indefinitely control Lebanon. Such a post, which no one is publicly addressing, would be that of a vice president.

From Hezbollah’s perspective, the vice president must have clear jurisdictions that grant him veto power over national decisions. Its excuse is that the Shiite sect is absent from executive authority, thus ignoring the fact that this authority is present in the cabinet.
Iran seeks to control Lebanon officially - not only via a sectarian militia - by amending the constitution before electing a president. This could be achieved by the constituent assembly, which Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah called for before issuing a retraction.

At last week’s joint press conference Aoun and Geagea turned a new page, putting behind intra-Christian disputes that lasted for more than 25 years and benefitted no one in Lebanon. Geagea was right to say the ball is now in Hezbollah’s court, and that the path has now been paved to elect a president within days.

Meanwhile, I believe Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, Aoun’s son in law, does not miss a chance to show that he is Iran’s foreign minister. Therefore, Hezbollah thinks time is on its side and the situation is turning in its favor, particularly given the country’s bad situation in all fields, particularly the economy.

What will Aoun do if Hezbollah prevents him from achieving his dream of becoming president, considering that the Iranian project in Lebanon goes beyond certain figures and as far as controlling the country via state institutions and the constitution, and through adopting a new electoral law that suits Hezbollah but not its rivals or pluralism?

Lebanon is confronting a new and unprecedented situation. There are two presidential candidates from the March 8 coalition, but Hezbollah - which leads this coalition - is at the top of the list of those refusing to attend parliament sessions to elect a president. Is there a farce bigger than this? Is there a clearer exposure of Iran’s role in Lebanon?

This article was first published in Al-Mustaqbal on Jan. 27, 2016.
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Khairallah Khairallah is an Arab columnist who was formerly Annahar’s foreign editor (1976-1988) and Al-Hayat’s managing editor (1988-1998).

On Geagea’s endorsement of Aoun for Lebanon’s presidency (Khairallah Khairallah, Al Arabiya)

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/01/21/On-Geagea-s-endorsement-of-Aoun-for-Lebanon-s-presidency.html