INTERVIEW WITH LEBANESE ACTIVIST MAROUN, AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE 2019 POPULAR UPRISING IN LEBANON ~ From Aftoleksi ~ Let’s pick up the thread from 2019, when many young people in Western countries heard about the Lebanese world for the first time. You are from the young generation that made the grand uprising in Lebanon in October that year which lasted until May 2020. What were your demands then and what was the reason for the popular uprising? The reason for the popular uprising then was the economic crisis. The Central Bank of Lebanon was taking the people’s deposits from their bank accounts and investing them in unknown assets to enrich an elite who ruled the Central Bank. The local banks, in return, took huge sums in Lebanese pounds at exorbitant interest rates to act as middlemen. In 2019, from September onwards, the banks started not allowing people to withdraw from their accounts and the Lebanese pound started to lose value against the dollar. So the people rose up by taking to the streets to demonstrate for better conditions. There were not so much specific demands as a general spirit of social revolt. There were occupations of public spaces that had been privatised. Many people from different religions and political backgrounds came together to form assemblies and joint actions. People had the opportunity to unite around some issues in the outbreak of the October 17, 2019 revolution. This was a breakthrough, as the Lebanese people are still divided between religion and partisan identity due to the trauma of the 1975-1991 civil war. The movements born in October 2019 managed to bring pressure on the then government and elites, but failed to ultimately bring radical change and unite the people in a meaningful way as the whole movement lost momentum after a few months. At the beginning, the people demonstrating could reach a million, but after the first month the number of people started to decrease to a few thousands. Where do you think the people who were demonstrating like you are today, what could we say is the common feeling today? Too many people have emigrated abroad. Too many young people have since left the country. We don’t know exactly but some sources say that half a million young people have left—with no serious intention of returning. This is a blow to the country and to the movement because these people had the will to put their dreams into practice and as they saw that the mass participation slowly declined from the demonstrations, they became frustrated and left. 2019 Beirut protests. Photo: Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA-4.0 The common feeling of class solidarity has diminished somewhat. Significantly, in late October 2019, in the midst of social upheaval, Hezbollah itself ordered its supporters and its fellow believers (who make up at least 30% of the country’s population) to withdraw from the streets and no longer participate in the protests. So fear and insecurity among the partisan-religious groups increased. At the same time, many conflicts and attacks were taking place between people on the street who were supporters of political parties while peaceful demonstrations were taking place. This scared a lot of people from participating and pushed some people back to the way of thinking of fear and hatred of others. Coming to today, what was the situation all these months in Lebanon and what is it now with the Israeli invasion? The situation in the country now is one of widespread fear. One million people have been displaced, mainly from southern Lebanon, populated mainly by Shia Muslims, to the Beirut areas and elsewhere. As there has been tension between the different communities since the civil war period (1975-1991), the displaced people have in fact now gone to areas dominated by other religious and partisan groupings. There is thus growing tension between different sections of the people and with some political factions that are opponents of Hezbollah and have an interest in the latter being defeated in the war now. Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Photo: FMT, CC BY 4.0 It is considered that Lebanon is an open field which is and is not part of the struggle for Palestine, depending on which groups one belongs to. What is the position of the central government in the country in relation to Israel and Palestine? On the other hand, are there forces beyond conservatism and fundamentalism? And if so, what view do they hold about the war now? The central government is made up of political groups—which include Hezbollah and its opponents. So, the government’s position is that Israel is carrying out hostile acts, it is an enemy and must stop the invasion of Lebanon and Palestine. But because the central government is made up of different political groups that have conflicting ideologies and alliances in their foreign policy, it cannot take a meaningful and strong position on any foreign policy issue. The armed wing of the Hezbollah organisation—only their political part is a member of the government—has a harder and more aggressive stance towards Israel, but surprisingly the Lebanese government (which must include all voices in parliament) is in favour of a ceasefire with Israel and a truce. The popular elements, apart from conservatism and fundamentalism, also stand against the war, and for the liberation of Palestine, but they are not well-connected and have not enough contact with the population in general. They have not had much influence on domestic or foreign policy, nor can they organise mass demonstrations at the moment. Unfortunately, in Lebanon all the corrupted parties that came to power after the civil war have kept their authority and suffocating influence by not allowing new currents to come to the fore. Not many of our ideas from the 2019 revolution are still in the forefront today. The central slogans that prevailed then such as the typical “kellon yaane kellon!” (“All of them means all of them!”), meaning that ALL politicians and parties, and not just those of other religious groups, should go away—have been put aside. I would say that there has been a resurgence in participation in the old parties and the people in general have become disillusioned with the change that ultimately did not happen in the 2019 revolution. They believe that nothing has been achieved and that in general Lebanon’s fate is always to be ruled by corruption and war… Graffiti in Beirut, 2019. Photo: Aftoleksi There are no serious collectives or major initiatives taking place because there is not much participation from the people, especially young people. Regarding the media and independent sources, there are not enough. I don’t know enough to speak with certainty, but for example Megaphone News and other indy-type of media seem to get funding from western countries so they also seem to serve someone’s interests to some extent. I am not aware of some serious source of information from the people for the people. There is a great lack of trust in Lebanon regarding media sources and this has held the country back in the area of organising. Tell us a few words about the particular structure of a society divided into different religious groups, how is it represented politically? What happens with the political system there, the parliament, the elections, etc. How does it work? Each religious part of the country is represented by one or more partisan factions. As signed in the Taef Treaty in 1990 to end the civil war, any party representing a religious group should have access to the government. That is, the parliament is split 50-50 between Christians and Muslims but each of the 12 religious groups has a seat in parliament. So, there is supposed to be mutual respect and inclusion in the politics of the country but in fact this is not the case. In fact, it’s dysfunctional because each major party represents a religious sect, and can veto—not formally but in the sense of withdrawing from political meetings—and then there can be no consensus. The politicians and the people would rather have a whole period (or year) go by without any progress (for example, not electing a president for years) than have decisions made that might upset the balance between the various partisan-religious groups. There is always the fear that such an upheaval could lead to a new civil war… In 2022, general elections were held in Lebanon. The abstention rate reached 50%. People said in 2019-’20 that they would get revenge from the parties, but in the end the 50% of those who voted elected the very same parties. Hezbollah only got 19.89% of that 50%. That’s about 350,000 people while the country have a population of over 5 million. I believe, however, that more people support them informally than what is shown in the election results as Hezbollah provides some services, food security, etc. to the Shia population. On the other hand, there are many reasons why one might be opposed to Hezbollah, such as because they do import a very specific foreign policy to Lebanon (alliance with Iran’s “Axis of resistance”). Or someone else for religious reasons if they are Sunni or Christian and see Hezbollah’s influence as a threat to their life, or someone else may be against Hezbollah simply for reasons of power, so that they can be in their place and have their privileges. There are also the serious people—who are fewer in number—who have serious anti-fundamentalist reasons for being against it, and who are therefore against all political factions because they are against this system in general. What is the situation with public infrastructure in the country? How is daily life organised in each region based on local religious authority? The situation with public infrastructure is horrible. It hasn’t been well maintained for decades. It hasn’t been given the necessary upgrades to serve the people and their needs. At the same time, the population is increasing (at some point to dangerous level with the displacement of so many people from the South by the Israeli attacks), while the conditions of climate change are exercising further pressure in regards to the consumption of water and electricity. To make things worse, the country’s electricity and water have been privatised by private providers who sell these services profitably. Basic necessities cost several times more than the normal cost and constitute a huge share of the people’s livelihood. Many homes have electricity for a few hours a day and the water supply is not constant. Anyone who can afford it gets electricity from private generators installed in each neighbourhood by businessmen (each one of whom is linked to the respective political-religious party of the area)! Everyday life and problems, whether you live in a Christian or a Muslim community, are common to everyone. There are no serious differences. The essential difference is with the rich. In the places where the rich and powerful live, there are much better amenities and security. In contrast, the common man struggles to secure a wage (which often is not even enough to cover basic needs) and be able to live. Each political party has religious power behind it, so the haves have divided the country between themselves, and each one exercises control over their respective region of influence. Similarly, service providers do not operate in other areas that do not correspond to their own religious or party identity. As we were saying in 2019, ALL of them are corrupt and oppressive and must go The post “People are disillusioned, they believe Lebanon’s fate is corruption and war” appeared first on Freedom News.

THE MIDDLE EAST WAR JOINS UKRAINE AS A PERMANENT SITE OF CONFLICT, THE NEW MODEL FOR SUPERPOWER DOMINANCE IN THE AGE OF COLLAPSE ~ Blade Runner ~ In just one year, the devastation has been staggering: since Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis, Israel’s military onslaught has retaliated thirty-fold, with over 41,000 Palestinians killed, including 13,000 children and 115 infants born after October 7. More than 10,000 Gazans remain missing, buried under rubble. The entire population of Gaza—2.3 million people in an area smaller than 360 square kilometres—has been displaced, forced into extreme deprivation, and denied access to basic healthcare, food, and services. 83,000 tonnes of explosives have been dropped on Gaza, four times the explosive power used to obliterate Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Around 80% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed. It has systematically obliterated all universities, more than 70% of schools, 34 out of 36 hospitals, and countless other essential facilities: 165 health units, 137 ambulances, 611 mosques, all three churches, and 178 shelters in Gaza. In Lebanon, over 2,000 people have died, and one million have been displaced. Another 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. Israel has lost an additional 350 soldiers in Gaza, and 200,000 Israelis have been forced to abandon their homes near Gaza and along the northern borders with Lebanon. Hezbollah rocket fire has killed around 50 Israeli soldiers and civilians. Israel is on an aggressive warpath, rapidly expanding its military operations across several fronts in the Middle East. The Israeli army has bombed extensive areas of Lebanon, invaded the southern part of the country, and threatened the population with total destruction, while also attacking targets in Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. In retaliation, Iran has launched one of the largest ballistic missile attacks in history, with Israel’s response potentially imminent. THIS IS WHAT A GREAT WAR MAY LOOK LIKE IN OUR TIMES Israel’s far-right government is locked in a perpetual cycle of escalation. History has shown that fascism, once in power, sustains itself through relentless aggression, using nationalist rhetoric to justify war and consolidate control. In this context, perpetual conflict is not an aberration but the strategy itself—a march toward devastation without end. With or without U.S. backing, this war machine is driven by ambitions to solidify the dominance of its sponsor’s military-industrial complex in the region. Both Israel and Iran use nationalist and religious narratives to legitimise their aggression, framing their actions as necessary for security and the preservation of their nations. Israel’s leadership has stated its goal of reshaping the Middle East by neutralising regional adversaries, while promoting an ideology of Jewish supremacy. Meanwhile, Iran frames the conflict as a “holy war against the forces of evil” but relies on it to maintain its regional position, backed by China and Russia. All the while, they play their roles in an Apocalypse War by proxy. The media portray it as suspended annihilation leading to the U.S. elections, hoping the crisis doesn’t escalate into World War III. But what if the Great War of our times has already begun? This confrontation unfolds amid a global shift in the balance of power, as key actors vie for influence in a world economy defined by runaway climate change and bio-regional collapse. We have already been in cycles of for about two decades, with background processes now shifting into higher gear. In response to rising social unrest and financial crises, ruling elites have exploited rapid advancements in information technology and the fear created by the “War on Terror” to make advances in military force, surveillance, and disenfranchisement. Military budgets have surged not to safeguard peace, but to fuel ongoing conflicts arising from this restructuring process. Consequently, the war in Ukraine has dragged on for over two years, ensnared in a fluid and unpredictable stalemate. The crisis in the Middle East is just the next (final?) chapter of a colonial war-game that has been going on for a century or more. It may go on forever—not only as far as the Israeli government is concerned. As long as global capitalism stumbles, refusing to fall, the capitalism-state duo’s hegemony will not give up the fight without a bang. Calls for ceasefires, United Nations interventions, and arms embargoes may still be worth pursuing, but the Middle East crisis is not just a new iteration of fascist military expansionism. It is a battleground for a Great War by proxy, fought at an ever-higher intensity, as elites attempt to hoard whatever they can in a collapsing world. The post Apocalypse war by proxy appeared first on Freedom News.

ISRAEL’S EXTREMIST GOVERNMENT THREATENS TO INVADE LEBANON AND DRAW IRAN INTO THE FIGHTING ~ Blade Runner ~ The Israeli state continues to spread death and terror throughout the region. A new campaign began last week with the pager explosions, and has evolved this week into sustained bombings, with over a million displaced the threat of a ground invasion looming. The elimination of much of Hezbollah’s leadership is unlikely to stop Israel’s war machine, with Netanyahu committed to perpetual war for his own political survival and messianic fascists controlling the coalition. Israel and Lebanon have been in conflict since Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, when along with other Arab states it joined the war to prevent the creation of Israel. Although Lebanon played a minor role in the fighting, contributing to the overall Arab military effort without significant direct engagement, the war ended with the signing of the 1949 Armistice Agreement, leaving Lebanon and Israel technically at war. In 1978, Israel invaded Lebanon, citing attacks by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) from southern Lebanon as justification. This move was typical of a settler state’s response to security threats, using military aggression and expansion of power. Israel invaded again in 1982, reaching Beirut, which resulted in mass civilian casualties and the displacement of Lebanese and Palestinian refugees. The invasion led to a prolonged Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, where it faced ongoing resistance, particularly from the newly-formed Hezbollah, a Shiite political and militant organisation supported by Iran and Syria. Hezbollah has since perpetuated a form of informal state violence in response to Israel’s aggression. Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon lasted from 1982 to 2000, characterised by frequent clashes with Hezbollah. By 2000, under domestic pressure and increasing Hezbollah attacks, Israel withdrew, though tensions remained high. The most intense conflict occurred in 2006, when Hezbollah conducted a cross-border raid and captured two Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with massive military force, leading to a 34-day war marked by heavy aerial bombardments and ground fighting in southern Lebanon. Civilian areas in southern Lebanon were devastated, and over a thousand Lebanese were killed. The war ended inconclusively with a UN-brokered ceasefire, solidifying Hezbollah’s role as a potent military force in Lebanon, while Israel maintained its regional dominance. The conflict across the Israel-Lebanon border has lasted decades, and continues to represent a laboratory for state oppression and military technology. Yet the regional and global stakes have never been higher. Other formal and informal state forces are ready to enter the conflict when the opportunity presents itself. The official narrative suggests that Israel’s ultra-right government is committed to pushing on with the war at any cost. Meanwhile, a broader restructuring of the global order is underway, with the USA determined to maintain its stronghold in the region. In reality, this dynamic is pushing us towards regional war if not worse. The post Israel-Lebanon war: Regional conflict looms appeared first on Freedom News.

ISRAEL IS BEING ALLOWED TO MODEL A NEW ITERATION OF STATE POWER BOUND BY NO LIMITS, WHICH ANSWERS TO NO ONE ~ Blade Runner ~ This week, Israel escalated its war tactics to new levels of terror: thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies rigged with explosives detonated, causing horrifying injuries to those holding them and to others nearby. In total, the explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies over two days killed at least 37 people and injured more than 3,000. Unconfirmed reports also suggest that solar panels and ATMs were involved in the explosions during the attacks. There is a trap in viewing Israel merely as a “rogue state” or Netanyahu as another terroristic authoritarian. This new level of horror is inflicted by Israel in a laboratory for hegemonic powers’ relentless campaign to maintain control at all costs. The attack had a dual objective: to show Hezbollah that their old-school communication tech gives them no safety, and to brutally terrorise the civilian population. For over a year, Israel has been modelling a new iteration of state power bound by no limits, which answers to no one. Another mistake is to see the weapons manufacturing complex as merely opportunistic, capitalising on conflict to fuel the cycle of violence. In reality, as yesterday’s report by CAAT exposed, the arms industry is an essential cog in the machinery of state violence. The US-Israel alliance is rooted in global capitalism and imperialism. It is not just about protecting US interests but about preserving the entire state-capitalist hegemony and exploiting the Global South. Anyone hoping that removing Netanyahu, halting US arms sales, or intervention from the superpowers will lead to a solution is bound to be disappointed. There is little hope in negotiations or power shifts of any kind. The deep-seated hatred cultivated in this region between the marginalized and the privileged, combined with the ongoing restructuring of the geopolitical status quo, enables the state authority to do what it does best: create conditions that justify its own existence. Anarchists believe that the only real hope lies in dismantling the entire state apparatus, along with the capitalist and patriarchal structures that create the borders dividing people, the militaries that enforce them, and the industries that profit from exploitation and ecocide. Nationalism and religion are divisive myths that obscure the possibility of international solidarity among the oppressed.  The late Alfredo Bonanno wrote decades ago that the only true hope would come from an insurrection by the Palestinian and Israeli people together to destroy the institutions governing them—without intermediaries. Even then, that perspective was more of a dream. So it remains today. But as this tormented region of the world has shown us time and again, we must be prepared for the worst. The post Not just a ‘rogue state’: Israel’s pagers attack in Lebanon appeared first on Freedom News.