Lebanon must be stable, united in wake of Assad’s fall

The scenes of joy in Lebanon following the end of the Assad regime are understandable and justified. Lebanon lived through decades of Syrian occupation. This occupation was the pure definition of an extractive, violent and oppressive policy. There is no need to go into the details as everyone is well aware of the methods of the regime and the culture of suspicion and fear it pushed.

This occupation was supposed to have ended in 2005, when Syrian troops left the country. Yet, there was merely a transition to the same occupation by Hezbollah and its allies. Syria, although no longer at the forefront, continued to give strategic and logistical depth. Hence, there was never the possibility to celebrate, heal and rebuild after its occupation ended. The so-called Cedar Revolution that brought this withdrawal shed its needles and ended up with more of the same oppression.

The scenes of horror coming out of Syrian prisons, where Lebanese were also held, are surreal and perhaps answer the questions of Lebanese families. Now, just like the prisoners, Lebanon will have to deal with the scars. It must rebuild its identity to reclaim its cultural heritage. Recreate the institutions and real links with the outside world. Undoubtedly, Lebanon’s future will stay linked to Syria. Yet, regardless of the political outcome in Damascus, Beirut should immediately seek to insulate itself from these events and their influence. There is hence a need for stability and unity in the country. We need to build unity among the people destroyed by years of occupation.

There are several steps Beirut needs to take to achieve this and manage the difficult task of rebuilding stability. As a first step, Hezbollah needs to immediately surrender its arsenal to the Lebanese Armed Forces. Its supply route through Iraq and Syria is now shut. Its access to Rafic Hariri International Airport has also been cut off by the Israelis. Today, its weapons could be labeled as a danger by the new Syrian state due to their role in supporting the Assad regime during the Syrian revolution. Failure to achieve this puts Lebanon at risk of being dragged into a new and horrific ordeal.

Regardless of the political outcome in Damascus, Beirut should immediately seek to insulate itself from these events

Khaled Abou Zahr

Pressure needs to come from the entire population, as well as the army, to achieve this as soon as possible. For the sake of the country’s future, this should not and cannot be delayed. Hezbollah is now obsolete and, as I have previously written, it was an artificial power. It needs to be stopped now.

In the same way, Lebanon cannot and should not harbor former Assad regime members, as has been reported. They need to be escorted out of the country. This is also another possibility for the new Syrian state, which will seek justice to interfere in Lebanese affairs. These figures are a representation of the barbarity that was used to destroy Lebanon and Syria alike. We owe them nothing.

The current situation also demands that the Lebanese military controls the border and prevents any crossings or smuggling that could lead to attacks or an unstable situation. Respect for the country’s borders by both Lebanese and Syrians needs to start now. This is a point of unity for the entire country.

The Lebanese Armed Forces have had to accommodate Hezbollah. This is a secret for no one. Whether on the international support given to it or on the domestic front, the rationale behind this was to cooperate and not be a threat to Hezbollah. This has to stop now. The military needs to be impartial and fulfill its true mission, including protecting the borders. It needs to fill the vacuum and show enough trust on both sides of the border. If it fails to do so, we will be heading for a catastrophic outcome.

We as Lebanese need to do the exact opposite of what our instincts tell us to do and what every single minority has done

Khaled Abou Zahr

We as Lebanese need to do the exact opposite of what our instincts tell us to do and what every single minority has done. We have invited external power for domestic gains, just riding a merry-go-round. One community after another. This must stop now. Lebanese Sunnis, to which I belong, should not see the change in Syria — if it is maintained — as an opportunity to replace Hezbollah. We cannot as Sunnis and should not use this new power as a way to shapeshift the power-sharing to our advantage once again. This is inviting instability and war. This consequently means that the weapons in the Palestinian camps also need to be surrendered to the military.

The army needs to be the only armed force in the country and it must represent the entire state, not a single community. It must uphold the creed of “Honor, Sacrifice, Loyalty” — loyalty to the nation. The people across minorities need to stand with the army. Christians, Muslim Shiites and Muslim Sunnis all need to feel pride in our army and stand by it and with it. This is the first and only way to have a shot at stability. It is not certain that we will be able to achieve this, but not doing it will most certainly doom us. If this is achieved, we can prove to ourselves and to our neighbors that we can hold it together. This will be the true celebration of the end of the occupation for all of us, or else it will be a very short-lived one.

• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.