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Regional Impact of the July 2006 War on Lebanon

Walid Jumblatt, Druze leader and the head of the Progressive Socialist Party of Lebanon

Date & Time

Tuesday
Oct. 31, 2006
10:00am – 11:00am ET

Overview

Walid Jumblatt, head of the Progressive Socialist Party of Lebanon, spoke to a full auditorium about the effects of the recent war in Lebanon and the future course that Lebanese politics could take as a result. Jumblatt emphasized on several occasions that since the assassination of the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005, his primary aim has been to work for the establishment of a free, independent, and democratic Lebanon.

This cause was also taken up in the streets of Lebanon on March 14, 2005 (commonly known as the Cedar Revolution), whereby a majority of the Lebanese population protested Syrian intervention. Jumblatt stated that many events have precipitated from that day onwards, including several assassination attempts of prominent Lebanese journalists and politicians, further complicating his aim of a unified Lebanon.

Jumblatt went on to discuss the need for the United Nations to create an international tribunal to judge the Syrian regime. Such a tribunal would be a "precedent in the history of the United Nations," Jumblatt stated. It would differ from the genocide tribunals of Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and others in that this tribunal would be instated in order to judge a "state murderer." Furthermore, Jumblatt believed that it would deter the Syrian regime from committing further crimes, and consequently, the tribunal "might enhance a free Lebanon."

Jumblatt explained that at present, dialogue has been underway at the United Nations in order to address three agenda items, in addition to the international tribunal. First is the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, thereby compelling the Syrian regime to acknowledge the sovereignty of Lebanon. The second item is the demarcation of the Sheba Farms, which the Syrians have stated need to be liberated. However, no official document by the Syrian government has been issued and thus, under international law, the Sheba Farms do not fall under Lebanese control. The final item is the removal of Palestinian weapons outside of the camps, which will prevent the supply of such weapons to various extremist groups.

Jumblatt continued by discussing the role of Hizbullah within the Lebanese political realm, particularly after the recent war. Hizbullah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah was quoted as saying, "I wasn't expecting such a reaction," referring to the Israeli reaction to the two kidnapped soldiers. Jumblatt denounced Hizbullah's statement as a "big blunder" and one that ignores the reality on the ground. When members of the Lebanese government suggested to Hizbullah the incorporation of southerners into the Lebanese army, Nasrallah rejected such an idea, stating "I have my own apparatus." This lack of cooperation, Jumblatt stated, infringes upon the sovereignty of Lebanon as a single, viable state, and has allowed Hizbullah to continue to exist as "a state within a state."

Jumblatt concluded by asserting that the free flow of weapons between the Lebanese-Syrian border will prove to be an obstacle, so long as the border is not being handled properly. However, this is not to say that the intervention of UNIFIL forces is necessary, since the occupation of land is not a factor, as is the case in the Golan Heights. Furthermore, the establishment of the international tribunal "is a must" and could possibly change the behavior of the Syrian regime. Lastly, speaking to the Security Council resolutions concerning Lebanon, Jumblatt emphasized that there has been one focal and overriding issue: how the Lebanese government will be provided with the necessary means to maintain law and order over all of Lebanon, a political goal that is in dire need of implementation.

Middle East Program
Drafted by Joyce Ibrahim

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Middle East Program

The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform US foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.  Read more

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