On February 14, 2005, an explosion rocked Beirut killing and injuring hundred of people chief among them the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik al-Hariri. The West was quick to blame Hezbollah and Syria. In 2006, Israel and its tanks rolled into Lebanon.
15 years later, on August 4th, another explosion rocked
Lebanon. This time, the fingers were
again pointed at Hezbollah and its ‘Iran backers’. And
once again, Israeli tanks crossed into
Lebanon.
After years of investigating the first incident, on Tuesday,
August 18, 2020, Syria and Hezbollah were acquitted of involvement in the 2005
explosion. Judges at a U.N.-backed tribunal said Tuesday that
there was no evidence the leadership of the Hezbollah militant group and
Syria were involved in the 2005 suicide truck bomb assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.”
Yet reading the Western media
headlines, one would think that the judge had found Hezbollah guilty. Just as the most recent explosion was blamed
on Hezbollah. But what would Hezbollah
gain from such horrific acts? If not
Hezbollah, ‘cui bono’? The answer is
simple. Proving it is not.
The 1967 war resulted in the exponential
expansion of Israeli water sources including the control of the Golan “Heights”
(also referred to as the Syrian
Golan). For decades, Syrian Golan and the return of its
control to Syria had posed a major obstacle to the Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations. Israel’s
water demands make it virtually impossible to accommodate this process.
In fact, even with full control of the Golan, Israel’s water crisis in 2000
were so acute that it prompted Israel to turn to Turkey for water
purchase.
Importantly, Syria’s
presence
in Lebanon since the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in 1975 played a
crucial role in hindering Israel’s never-ending water demands.
Although the 1955 Johnston Plan (under the auspices of the Eisenhower
administration) proposed diverting water from Lebanon’s Litani River into Lake
Kinneret, it was not officially formulated, though it remained an attractive prospect.
In 1982, Israeli forces established the frontline of their security zone
in Lebanon along the Litani. Numerous reports alleged that Israel
was diverting large quantities of Litani water.
On June 6, 1982, Israel advanced into Lebanon. However, the Syrian army halted the Israeli
army advance in the battle of Sultan Yakub and the battle of Ain Zahalta. Sharon’s plan to conquer all of Lebanon and
destroy Syria as a military power was thwarted.
In reviewing the book and the battles, the famous scholar and activist,
Israel Shahak, opined that “the principal purpose of the Israeli invasion of
Lebanon was destruction of the Syrian Army”[i].
A 1987 book by Col. Emmanuel Wald of the Israeli
General Staff entitled “The Ruse of the Broken Vessels: The Twilight of Israeli
Military Might (1967-1982) reveals the aims of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon and
the month of pre-planning that had gone into it. Wald writes that Ariel Sharon’s master plan
codenamed “Oranim” was to defeat the Syrian troops deployed in the Bekaa Valley
all the way to the district of Baalbek in North of Lebanon. According to Wald, “during the first days, it
was quietly approved by the U.S.”.
Sharon’s plans were put in the backburner. Though the urgency of the successful implantation
of the plan was not lost on Israelis; perhaps made even more urgent in the face
of the 1991 Lebanese-Syrian
Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination . The treaty was a challenge to Israel and its
diversion of water and annexation. When Syria replaced Israel as the
dominant power in southern Lebanon in May 2000, Israeli fears grew that Syrian
success in controlling the Golan and by extension, Lake Kinneret, would have a
devastating effect on Israel.
Washington, always ready to serve Israel, passed the Syrian
Accountability Act and the Lebanon Sovereignty Restoration Act. Without any hesitation to investigate the
explosion, Washington and the West did not hesitate to place the blame on Syria
and Hezbollah. Much to
the delight of The Washington Institute, the pro-Israel think tank, the
United States implemented the Act which in addition to sanctions, called for
the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. In 2006, the deck was
cleared for Israel to attack Lebanon.
Although the Tribunal found no ties to Syria or Hezbollah
leadership, it did convict Salim Ayyash - a Hezbollah member. The question is, was Ayyash a rogue member
acting on his own or was he a member of Israel’s “Arab Platoon” (Ronen Bergman,
2018)[ii].
The Arab Platoon a clandestine commando unit whose members
operated disguised as Arabs, were trained fighters who could operate inside
‘enemy’ lines, gather information, and carry out sabotage and targeted killings.
Their training included commando tactics and explosives, but also intensive
study of Islam and Arab customs.
Nicknamed the “Mistaravim” (the name by which the Jews went in some Arab
countries), they practiced Judaism but in all other aspects were Arabs.
It is not clear to this writer if Ayyash was a Hezbollah member or
a Mistaravim. However, it is evident
that neither Syria, Lebanon, nor Hezbollah benefited from the attack.
Curiously, the initial tribunal date coincided with the Lebanon
port explosion which devasted the country, even making it appear as if the
explosion and the delay in the hearing would benefit Hezbollah. Undoubtedly, the findings of the Tribunal must
have been very disappointing for Israel and its backers who had placed the
blame on Hezbollah and Syrian leadership.
It may be reassuring for some and worrying for others that the FBI is in
Beirut investigating. FBI has managed to
build quite a reputation for cover ups.
Beirut has been devastated.
And as with 2006, every foe is out to grab a part of this beautiful
country. During the 2006 war, while Israel bombed Lebanon, Carlyle
profited greatly – as did the Saudis, the U.S., and of course, Israeli. The
systematic destruction of Lebanon translated into significant opportunity for
the Carlyle Group and with the ‘crisis, they announced a $1.3 billion fund for
investment in the region. They were not alone. The rush was on. The big
investment banks -- Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers – all
increased their presence in the region. Israel, the perpetrator as the
benefactor, received an increase of USD 500 million additional in aid package
from the U.S. in September of the same year (Ynet news).
With millions
of funds from CIA/NED spent in
Lebanon over the past few years (NED 2018, etc.), the
country is ripe for its enemies to bend it to their will. Clearly, this would not benefit Hezbollah,
Iran, or Lebanon. Fingers have also been pointed at Israel for
being the culpit. It may take several
years for the truth to come out – and be proven. At the end of the day though, cui bono?
