Hezbollah finds glory in the ashes while Lebanon suffers

Enter Hezbollah

After Hamas attacked Israel so violently on 7 October 2023, Israel responded with a devastating war on Gaza. Hezbollah in Lebanon immediately launched attacks in support of Gaza. Both are influenced by Iran, as are other militias in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen—modelled as the 'resistance'.

This war is also deeply shaped by Arab public opinion, albeit in vague and evolving ways. The emotions fuelling this public opinion trace back to Arab national liberation movements, particularly Nasserism, that tied the future of the Arab world to hollow slogans of unity (mirroring the Iranian mantra of a 'Unity of Fronts'). Emotions and sentiments ignited by Israel's war on Gaza resonate across generations and social groups throughout the Arab world and Arab immigrant communities abroad.

When it comes to Israel's devastating war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, it is essential to note that Hezbollah has led the Lebanese Shiite community for decades, during which time it instilled a vision of salvation—of glory and sacrifice—that began with the liberation of southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation in 2000 and grew into a narrative of triumph, peaking during the July 2006 war. 

From bad to worse

Hezbollah took this vision and used it to fragment Lebanon, dismantling its institutions and consolidating its dominance over a deteriorating and collapsing state. These 'glories', therefore, became a curse. Ultimately, the Shiite community was left with nothing but 'glory from the ashes', amidst widespread destruction and displacement. 

This grim ordeal is likely to be shared by other Lebanese communities, even eclipsing the calamities that have historically afflicted Lebanon. From the era of the Mountain Emirate to the autonomous period of Mt Lebanon (1860–1914), Lebanon's sectarian groups have been caught in a cycle of fleeting glory and recurring catastrophe, with conflicts frequently devolving into proxy wars driven by external forces.

Lebanon's modern history cannot be understood without recognising its cyclical nature. While the glories and calamities primarily impact sectarian groups' core supporters (those fiercely loyal to their leaders, ideologies, and parties), they also affect those who build independent lives, shaping their destinies through personal, professional, and public efforts.

For those over 50, the current suffering and destruction have more context. They can see that this is yet another Nakba. That is why so many of this generation have retreated from politics and public affairs, withdrawing into personal isolation and advising others to do the same.

For those Lebanese who emigrate, war in their homeland evokes anguish. Testimonies shared on social media by Lebanese, Palestinians, and other Arabs reveal its emotional toll in accounts that speak of alienation, suffering, and enduring brutality. Their shared struggle to rebuild their lives at home and abroad is what unites them. All will wish they were united by other things.