Where is Lebanon's Sadat?

Lebanese figures who warned over the past year about the dangers this war would bring were also denounced as traitors and faced death threats. The 'Axis of Resistance' has its narrative and is sticking to it, even as it becomes clear just how deeply Israeli intelligence had infiltrated Hezbollah and Lebanon as a whole. 

For those worried about Lebanon's national interests (not Iran's), it is clear that Hezbollah has brought nothing but calamity to Lebanon. Yet, there remains a great many ostriches, burying their heads, refusing to acknowledge reality.

Information about events in Lebanon does not come from Lebanon; it comes from Israel. For instance, it was the Israeli press that reported a four-minute operation by Israeli commandos who landed ashore in the northern Lebanese city of Batroun at night to grab the man alleged to be facilitating arms transfers for Hezbollah from Syria. 

The Lebanese depend on Israeli media for information about what the Israelis are targeting in Lebanon and why. There is an almost complete absence of any informed Lebanese official sources, and the pervasive secrecy surrounding Hezbollah's operations and leadership is nothing short of remarkable.

Sadat's strategic choice

All around, it seems that Hezbollah is going nowhere fast. With that in mind, Al Arabiya general manager and Saudi Journalists Association director Mamdouh Al-Muhaini recently posed a question: why do we remember Sadat these days? The reason is clear, he said. "The path he chose has proven to be the correct one, despite the fierce campaign of treason accusations and intense criticism he endured, even after his assassination. 

"He faced doubt and slander, even from his own government, whom he wisely excluded from the Camp David negotiations (regarding a peace treaty with Israel), keeping discussions limited to himself and Osama Al-Baz. He saw what others did not and had grander, far-reaching dreams." 

"(UN Secretary-General) Boutros Ghali recalled that President Sadat had one goal: restoring Egypt's national sovereignty by reclaiming its occupied land and viewing peace as a strategic choice." The 1979 peace treaty returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt and normalised relations with its neighbour.

Time for a reckoning

As we look at the huge disparity in destruction and loss, Sadat springs to mind. At the time of writing, less than 90 Israelis have been killed by Hamas or Hezbollah since 8 October 2023. An Israeli tank, house, and factory complete the casualties. In Lebanon, the death toll has now passed 3,000, with an estimated $20bn in damage. In Gaza, the death toll stands at a colossal 43,000, the destruction incalculable. 

Is it not time for an honest reckoning? What is the real objective of the 'Resistance'? Is it driven by national or religious considerations? Does Hamas truly seek a Palestinian state? Was southern Lebanon not already liberated in May 2000? Is resistance truly a path to peace, or has it become an end in itself?

To some, Lebanon needs a Sadat: someone to candidly inform the Lebanese people that the 'Resistance'—including those who have benefited from and conspired with it—is not helping the country but weakening it. In other words, Lebanon needs someone who truly believes in statehood. To emerge, they will have to do so through a thicket of vested interests employing smear campaigns and intimidation.

In the meantime, Hamas and its supporters should stop issuing certificates of patriotism and take note of the number of countries that have acknowledged the Palestinian state due to the efforts of the Palestinian Authority and Saudi-led Arab diplomats. They, too, face accusations, intimidation, and threats, none of which will alter reality.

Only through honest dialogue can we begin building a true state capable of defending its land and its people, who seem of little value to either the Israeli military or the 'Resistance'.