How badly does Lebanon want their country back?

One of the more powerful revelations that has come out of the Iran war has been the overwhelming show of solidarity among the people who, despite knowing the deadly consequences, took to the streets, at great personal risk, to let the world know how that they are done being held hostage by a tyrannical regime which has smothered them.

Tens of thousands lost their lives and would probably do it again, all for the sake of freedom and the end of a nearly five-decade nightmare. Now that we have seen their amazing act of bravery and resolve to change the status quo, it’s important to ask the same question of Lebanon. 

How badly does Lebanon want their country back? Because unlike Iran, they have not made their voices heard.

It was in 2024 that Israeli soldiers, while executing Operation Northern Arrows, did their utmost to excise Hezbollah terror cells from Southern Lebanon. To that end, “they went village to village, house to house, but when a ceasefire was brokered, it stopped before the work was complete.  Under the terms of that ceasefire, the Lebanese government and specifically the Lebanese Army, was supposed to finish the task.”

But in order to complete the job, one has to be singularly committed to ridding their country of the plague of terror which has made life intolerable for them ever since the early 1980s when they emerged, causing a civil war to break out.

Strengthening their hold in Lebanon, with the help of their Iranian benefactors, they armed themselves, becoming a state within a state. But all they’ve done has been to bring great suffering to the Lebanese people.  

During the 1970’s, the majority population were different sects of Christians (mostly Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, Orthodox or Catholic) who enjoyed what was then described as the “Golden Age of Lebanon. Beirut was referred to as the “Paris of the Middle East,” considered a hub for culture and tourism. 

Once Hezbollah poisoned the flourishing country, turning it into another terrorist stronghold, many fled while others stayed, forced to endure great danger and constant war. It’s reported that in an attempt to remain safe, some Christians even aligned with Hezbollah, an all-too familiar story which is still happening to this day.

In a recent article, “Buffering the North,” writer Herb Keinon details the shocking discoveries that the “Lebanese Army has avoided direct confrontation with Hezbollah.” 

Rather than finishing the job started by the IDF, their lack of determination and willingness to confront the enemy, within, was seen when some of the Lebanese Army soldiers began to “moonlight with Hezbollah” in order to supplement the very low wages that they earn, working for the new government. 

When such a situation exists, there is no other conclusion than to candidly admit that Lebanon is not serious about taking back their country – a terrible mistake which can only backfire for them.

Remember, before October 7th, Gaza, despite all of its problems and challenges, was a bustling city with villas and nice apartments, market places, schools, hospitals and infrastructure which provided basic services for its residents.

The grave miscalculation of those people, who put their trust in Hamas, a bloodthirsty terror group, which had no qualms to endanger the lives of all Gazans, resulted in the loss of their homes, businesses and community, where everything has been reduced to rubble, since that was the only way to eliminate the terrorists who were embedded everywhere.

That is how it ends when failing to take out a terrorist government which is only interested in seizing power, rather than the welfare of the people they rule. By waging war against Israel, both as proxy fighters for Iran and as extremist Islamists, who believe that their mission on earth is to annihilate the Jewish state, the Lebanese people could never hope to see peace or anything good come out of their country.

To the contrary, all they can expect is the flattening of villages, taken over by Hezbollah, from where rockets are endlessly launched into Israel, hoping to realize their lifelong aspirations. 

Now the newly elected government has some hard choices to make, and Israel, whether they want to or not, must present their weak leaders with an ultimatum. The choice is either to work together with us, towards the goal of taking down Hezbollah, until they are no more, or, in the absence of that firm resolve, suffer the consequences of seeing their nation take ten steps backwards.  

This means that, as Gaza, they, too, will be in the never-ending business of restoring their homes, industries, roads, infrastructure and everything else that ends up becoming the casualty of war. This is the price to pay for failing to clean out the hornet’s mess which prevented them from re-establishing themselves as a normal country that desires peace and prosperity.

Great will and mighty force are required, because Hezbollah, despite having undergone the explosive beeper attack which killed around 40 and wounded thousands, has yet to be deterred in their fight, even absent their deceased leader, Nasrallah who was eliminated in September 2024.

Now that it has finally dawned on Israel that the Lebanese army neither has the will nor the ability to emancipate their country, by defeating the brutal enemy which has brought them nothing but anguish and misery, it will be up to Israel to bring about the needed crushing blow. 

Consequently, the IDF is expected to intensify its offensive actions to put an end to the non-stop rocket fire, not only to northern Israeli communities but every area of the country, including the kibbutz communities which border Gaza, a distance of 200 kilometers, something that has never happened before.

It is sad to see the Lebanese people unengaged in a conflict which they claim they did not choose but which involves them whether they like it or not. While they’re right to claim that Hezbollah has dragged them into another war, it is up to them to fight for a better future without terrorists. 

If they, like their government, are unable to change the situation, it will be done for them, although they may not like how it’s done. Either way, they are the ones who have to make the decision to return to the Golden Age that, for them, is just a fading memory.