Lebanon’s Independence: From Superficial Sovereignty to the Struggle for True Existence

On November 22, 1943, the Lebanese Republic was born with independence from the French Mandate, carrying the promise of full sovereignty and freedom. This date became a symbol of a unified nation under the principle of “Neither Eastern nor Western.” Yet this glory quickly began to erode under the weight of internal division and foreign intervention, leading to today’s reality—what many describe as a mere symbolic independence, devoid of genuine sovereignty.

The First Israeli Invasion: A Warning of Crisis (1978)

The actual collapse of Lebanese sovereignty began with the deterioration of security and, specifically, with direct Israeli intervention. In March 1978, Israel launched “Operation Litani” in response to a Palestinian operation, invading South Lebanon up to the Litani River. This first invasion was a dangerous indicator of the Lebanese state’s weakness and inability to protect its borders. Despite UN Security Council Resolution 425 demanding immediate Israeli withdrawal, the occupation entrenched itself and began establishing the so-called “security belt” through local proxies.

The Major Invasion and Occupation (1982–2000)

On June 6, 1982, Israel crossed all boundaries, launching “Operation Peace for Galilee.” This invasion was a full-scale assault that went beyond the south, reaching the capital Beirut, besieging it, and causing massive destruction. This time, it was not just a military incursion but an occupation of the national decision-making center. Amid the state’s collapse, the Lebanese national resistance was born as a natural and existential response. The resistance confronted this occupation by all means, believing that the duty to defend the land does not vanish with government negligence.

Resistance Victories (Hezbollah) and Liberation History

• Partial Withdrawal (1985): Resistance strikes forced Israeli forces to withdraw from Beirut, most of Mount Lebanon, Sidon, and Nabatieh, though they maintained control over the occupied border strip known as the “security belt.”

• The Great Liberation (May 25, 2000): This moment stands as the most prominent in modern resistance history. Under mounting pressure and strategic attacks, the occupation collapsed suddenly, and Israeli forces and their collaborators withdrew completely from South Lebanon. This victory was a national achievement that restored the land and renewed Lebanese confidence in their ability to defeat occupation through force.

July War 2006: Strategic Deterrence

After liberation, Israel sought to reimpose deterrence and control. In July 2006, it launched a wide-scale aggression on Lebanon that lasted 33 days, aiming to destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure and impose a new security order.

• The Divine Victory (July Victory): The resistance succeeded in enduring and inflicting unprecedented losses on the Israeli army, forcing it to accept a ceasefire under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on August 14, 2006. This victory was not only military but also established a new strategic deterrence equation, protecting Lebanon from full-scale aggression for over a decade and proving that resistance was the only force capable of imposing Lebanon’s will against Israel.

The Current Situation: Division and New Complexity

Today, the situation has changed. After the 2006 victory and the establishment of deterrence, the battle shifted from direct military occupation to wars of economic, media, and political influence. Continuous efforts aim to isolate the resistance and dismantle its supportive environment.

1. Estrangement from Sovereignty: American and foreign delegations continue to dictate terms, threaten sanctions and escalation (as seen recently with border tensions), and even insult Lebanese journalists as “animals” and the Lebanese people as “savages.

” These foreign powers tie reconstruction, financial aid, and even currency stability to political conditions designed to strip Lebanon of resistance power or push it toward normalization through projects like the “Abraham Accords.” All this occurs without any objection from the Lebanese state!

2. Internal Demonization and Polarization: Sadly, the media and political scene are drowning in systematic campaigns against Hezbollah, which sacrificed blood and lives to protect Lebanon. Sectarian and political diversity is exploited to create sharp divisions, portraying resistance as an “internal enemy,” while it has been the protective shield for all. Malicious sectarian campaigns now attempt to diminish the value of the Shiite community.

3. Corruption as a Tool of Domination: Corruption is no longer just an internal problem but has become a tool in foreign hands to blackmail Lebanese decision-making. A government of division and clientelism remains paralyzed and guilty—not only for leaving its people in poverty but also for opening the doors wide to foreign domination.

4. The Support War (2023–2024): The Latest Price of Sovereignty Since October 2023, Lebanon entered a new phase of confrontation on the southern border, known as the “Support War,” in solidarity with Gaza. This limited clash heavily drained the south. Border villages—primarily the resistance’s environment (Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Shiites)—bore the brunt of daily, deliberate bombardment, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands, the destruction of hundreds of homes, and systematic annihilation of farmland and livestock. The price was devastating: countless human and material losses. Yet the Lebanese state, represented by a divided government, showed no serious effort to plan national compensation or reconstruction. Citizens who paid the price of defending the homeland were abandoned, confirming once again the nature of Lebanon’s “symbolic independence,” where resistance defends the borders while those who sacrifice are left without support or recognition.

Toward Restoring True Sovereignty

Anger alone is not enough; it must transform into action that matches the sacrifices:

• National Unity on Fundamentals: Lebanon’s salvation lies in unity that recognizes resistance as a national defensive force. It cannot be left alone against the enemy. National decision-making must unite around protecting the south and rejecting foreign dictates.

• Radical Reform to Block Blackmail: End the system of corruption and clientelism that has made Lebanese decisions hostage to foreign powers. A strong state cannot be built on pervasive corruption.

• Reject Conditional Reconstruction: Rebuilding the south must be an independent national plan, rejecting American and Israeli conditions that exploit war destruction for political goals.

• Responsible National Media: Counter campaigns that demonize defenders of the homeland, and highlight the historical truth of sacrifices made by the people of the south, Bekaa, and Dahieh.

• Revitalize State Institutions: Institutions must reclaim their role to fill the vacuum, so resistance remains a deterrent force while the state provides the political and constitutional cover.

Conclusion

Lebanon, born free in 1943, now faces its toughest test. True independence is not a mere anniversary celebrated with flags but a daily act requiring unified national will. The sacrifices and blood shed in 1978, 1982, 2000, and 2006 placed Lebanon in a position of strength unseen in decades. Unless this strength is translated into internal unity and absolute refusal to submit, Lebanon will remain captive to internal division and foreign domination, squandering the fruits of the “Divine Victory.”