Lebanons path to peace proves more challenging than conflict resolution

Lebanon’s President to Visit Washington Amid Ongoing Conflict

President Joseph Aoun is set to make a historic trip to Washington, D.C., amid a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon. The visit may include meetings with United States President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The summit would mark the first time that an Israeli prime minister has met with a Lebanese president. However, resolving the conflict in Lebanon will require consideration of its complex history and current geopolitical realities.

Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, with the aim of establishing a “security zone” over the area south of the Litani River. The civilian population has been barred from returning to their homes, while Israeli forces have continued to bomb and demolish buildings in the region.

Netanyahu’s administration has stated that its goal is to establish security in the area, but critics argue that this objective is rooted in historical aspirations rather than a genuine concern for security. The occupation of lands south of the Litani River dates back to 1918, when Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and David Ben-Gurion published a book describing the region as part of “our country.”

The Israeli army has a history of violence in southern Lebanon, including the massacre of over 80 villagers in the village of Hula during the 1948 war. Many villages along the Lebanese-Israeli border have witnessed similar massacres and deportations.

The current conflict is also shaped by the displacement of Palestinian refugees, known as the Nakba, which resulted in the forced migration of 100,000 Palestinians to Lebanon. The region’s demographics are influenced by these historical events, with many Shia areas lacking basic infrastructure such as running water and electricity.

The Lebanese Civil War, which began in 1975, was driven by internal divisions and the presence of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Israel launched Operation Litani in 1978, resulting in significant civilian displacement and the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping forces.

Source: Al Jazeera