The time has come for Lebanon to heal from its wounds and to stop suffering. The Lebanese have been paying a dear price for more than thirty years. Tens of thousands have disappeared or died. Thousands are disabled. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced and more than a million have emigrated. Lebanon, once the Pearl of the Middle East and one of the best tourist attractions in the world, could have had its roads paved with marble were it not for this war.

The War

During the war, a new term was introduced into the political dictionary of the international community; "Lebanization", which meant war, disintegration, suicide, and self-destruction. Within a few months of the Taef Accord of 1990 however, the Lebanese proved that the war on their land was nothing but a fierce engagement between regional and international forces each trying to bring their own vision of a solution to the ongoing problem in the Middle East. It is not the intention of this article to discuss this problem, but to show how easily a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic country may be manipulated in favor of some foreign interest.

Yes, the war in Lebanon was possible only because outsiders could manipulate the confessional instinct within the Lebanese.

Yes, they could transform a political issue into a confessional-like war. Those who have seen the film "West Beirut" will understand what I mean; militants fighting against each other would sit together during their break, drink coffee or even mate, smoke nargile, and then they would return to shooting at each other once the break was over.

One may also remember how a sniper was ready to shoot at any moving creature in the street, even a cat, but exempted those carrying a piece of underwear, which was a signal that the holder was heading for a brothel, where warring factions met, enjoyed drinking, and had sex.

Accord of TAEF and the Reconstruction:

Lebanon - the victim - and its people made it clear once the war was over, in 1990, that in the Lebanese dictionary, the expression "lebanization" really meant unity, reconstruction and a strong will to live. Following the Taef Accord of 1990, and within a few short months, the Lebanese proved that the war had become ancient history. Their achievements in reconstructing their country became legendary. They demonstrated that their confessional structure was, in fact, their true shield against all foreign conspiracies and that it was this very special social fabric that had saved the country. No particular group had succeeded in destroying the other, so the only alternative was to find a way to live together and accept each other.

The reconstruction of Lebanon came to be considered as the major one in the history of modern societies after World War II, second only to Berlin reconstruction. Lebanon, which undertook the entire reconstruction plan using its own resources, was named by the United Nations an example of a post-conflict peace building country, and in 2004 its Prime Minister Rafic Hariri received the Habitat Prize for this achievement.


The reaction of H. R. H. The Pope

While the international society was admiringly and excitedly watching the reconstruction of Lebanon, another power was surveying Lebanon in a very different way. The highest spiritual Christian power in the world, H.H. the Pope, John Paul II was carefully studying the other face of the Lebanese war and reconstruction. The Pope did not care as much about the physical rising of the country as he did about the spiritual one. It was amazing how soon the Lebanese of all confessions came together. It was even more wonderful how they kept their respect for each other and how they worked hand in hand to heal the wounds and bring the displaced back to their homes. Lebanon was therefore a true example of coexistence and tolerance. It thus deserved to be rewarded with something much more valuable than the materialistic, with an expression that would enter history; that is why in 1997, H.H. the Pope said "Lebanon is more than a nation; it is an example, a message".

Unfortunately, these important historical words were not heard or rather, some powers did not want to hear them. Even the Lebanese themselves failed to appreciate or understand well the meaning of these words. The description given carries a message intended not only for the Lebanese themselves, but specifically for the regional powers - both Arabs and Israelis - as well as internationally - for all those who still believe in conflict among civilizations.

The Pope was familiar with the history of religious coexistence in Lebanon, which has been going on for more than two thousand years. He was also aware of past developments among different confessional groups which have undergone similar conflicts especially in 1860 and 1958. Both times these groups were also victim of outside manipulation and yet they quickly managed to heal their wounds and continue their struggle for a free and prosperous Lebanon.

The Pope knew that the Lebanese fabric is rare and unique and that no other country in the world possesses such a structure. Lebanon is a country where no majority exists. All groups are minorities. Naturally, some minorities are larger than others in size, but they, nevertheless, remain a minority, no more.

Lebanon has 18 confessional groups deriving from Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It is a part of the Holy Land and Jesus performed his first miracle in Qana in the South of Lebanon where he turned water into wine. The Jews settled in Lebanon long before the Christians. The Muslims started building their dynasty as early as the 12th century AD, although some Islamic minorities like the Shiite and the Druze found refuge in Lebanon as early as the 10th century AD.

The Pope, therefore, wanted to assure the Lebanese that their country is a God-given gift intended to make every human being understand that the Words of God, whether written in the Torah, Bible, or Koran, have only one purpose, and that is to help and guide us and not to bring conflict and war amongst us.

The Pope wanted his words to be heard by the regional powers, by Arabs and Israelis, by Muslims, Christians and Jews, that co-existence is possible: end the fighting over territory and remember that the way to God is not established in one specific piece of land but it is in the heart, the soul, and the mind of each one of us. Stop this ongoing foolish war in Palestine and live together: Jews, Muslims and Christians.

The Pope's message to the Arabs and Israelis is clear: follow the example of Lebanon. This small country of 18 confessional groups has survived wars and invasions for thousands of years only because the people have accepted to live together, respect each other and divide power amongst them. There is no sense in fighting, a Holy War is endless. And do not fool yourselves, the war in Palestine is not one over a few kilometers of land, it is a Holy War.

This last concept was also confirmed by the legendary Jewish Artist, Daniel Barenboim, during the act organized by the Buenos Aires Council (Legislature) on May 30, 2008 to honor him. I had the privilege to attend that act.

I also believe that the Pope's declaration aimed to respond to some notions that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union. One may recall that in the early nineteen nineties (1990's) many articles and thinkers propagated fear of Islam by denouncing it as the new U.S enemy in the place of the Soviet Union and Communism.

This type of fundamentalism is amongst the worst kind to spread as it is the basis for all hatred and terrorist reaction. Let us put an end to this was the message of the Pope. Let us live together. Look again at Lebanon, this is your example.

An Argentine journalist went to Lebanon to personally verify whether or not the ideas of Samuel Huntington on the shock among civilizations held any kind of truth. His conclusion was that they did not. Lebanon convinced him that co-existence is possible when innocent people are left to live in peace instead of being manipulated. Neutrality in Lebanon will prove without any doubt that religion is a means to bring love, harmony and prosperity to mankind.

Aftermath 1990

Let us now take a closer look at the events following the Taef Accord of 1990.

Some regional and international powers thought that the new shift in power resulting from the fall of the Soviet Union might bring a new perspective to the area, and indeed to Lebanon itself. A new Middle East was proposed.

Once again, Lebanon was taken hostage in the midst of the fulfillment of this new dream. The visionary foresaw a free market, and a democratic and western-oriented area. Some regional powers on the other hand, considered that this vision held an ulterior motive: to destabilize, disintegrate and reshape the area in a manner that would allow Israel to rule and dominate.

Although the declared motives of the Resistance against the Israeli occupation were very legitimate, noble, and coincided with the norms of international law, they were suspected of holding a hidden agenda, both inside Lebanon and in some countries of the region. The Resistance was mainly comprised of one specific Group, the Shiite, and strongly supported by Iran and Syria. It was evident that this Resistance, with Hezbollah as its back bone, would help them increase their regional influence. This by itself created an alarming situation where many other Groups feared that that the Resistance would turn into a dominating internal factor and try to spread its ideological opinions; something both unacceptable for these groups and very disturbing in a multi- confessional country.

Those times were marked by serious unrest, which was kept contained due to the presence of the Syrian forces in the country. The situation, as such, was considered, before the invasion of Iraq, as exemplary. On the one hand, Rafic Hariri, a Sunni, was devising methods for rebuilding Lebanon and bringing it back to the international map, while, on the other hand, the resistance in the South, mainly Shiite, was leading guerrilla warfare to liberate Lebanon from Israeli occupation. The Lebanese accepted these two facets of daily life; on the one hand, they were filled with ambitions for a prosperous economy, and the other, they were enduring the Israeli retaliation on Lebanon in response to the Resistance warfare, all the while hoping Israel would eventually listen to the sound of reason and implement UN Resolution 425.

The Israelí retreat of 2000

For most Lebanese, the resistance was not by itself an end but a means for recovering the captured Lebanese territories. They were therefore very proud when Israel finally conceded and withdrew on the 25th of May, 2000.

We must underline that on that day, all the Lebanese - Christians and Muslims, amongst which the Sunni, Druses and others - celebrated a victory, deemed yet another miracle for such a small country. This, however, could not have been achieved had the Lebanese not been united in their support for the Resistance.

Subsequently, most Lebanese were convinced that the time had now come to renounce military options in favor of a diplomatic era, similar to the one other Arab countries had, in order to pave the way for a durable peace with Israel. They were even more insistent, particularly because the United Nations and the international community were no longer silent with regards to the Resistance and had started objecting to its continuing warfare. They considered this developing attitude as a wipe out of the legal basis for the Resistance and thus a threat to its achievements.

September 11 and the aftermath

The September 11 terrorist attack against the United States brought a new era to the whole world - particularly to the Middle East. The United States labeled Hezbollah - the back bone of the resistance in South Lebanon - as a terrorist group, which left a serious impact on the entire region. The Resistance now became a clear part of the existing tension between the U.S. and some regional powers, namely Iran and Syria. Moreover, the moderate Arab powers comprised mainly of Sunnis, like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who had been supportive of Syria and Lebanon in their struggle to recover their occupied territories, also became alarmed by the increased influence of Iran in the Arab area.

The war in Iraq proved that the people of the area were not ready to accept the American vision. The war brought devastation, disintegration, and demonstrated that the transformation into a democratic regime requires a bottom-up process and not a top-down one. Furthermore, the outcome of the invasion of Iraq was also viewed by some neighboring and regional powers, especially Iran, as a rare opportunity to extend their political influence on the region, which was partially reflected by the empowerment of the guerrilla warfare against Israel, both in Lebanon and Palestine.

It has been debated that this warfare is meant to help achieve the said agenda. Many have argued that the declared motives: those of the liberation of occupied territories and the creation of sound basis for a just and durable peace, formed only a part of the game. They maintain that recent developments in Lebanon prove the existence of that hidden agenda. Nevertheless, it is because of the special Lebanese social structure that this agenda did not reign.

The Iraqi invasion brought disaster. One of its main outcomes was the destabilization, in the entire area, of the religious division of power between Shiites and Sunnis, clearly impacting Lebanon, where the street showed serious signs of unrest and distrust. The Resistance (Shiite) and Rafic Hariri (Sunni) were no longer internal factors but became a part of this certain regional division.

A series of attempts on the lives of some politicians who were opposing the guerrilla warfare, and the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005 led to the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon but also caused a deep division within the society. This division has been dragging for almost three years.

Many friendly countries expressed serious concerns over the future of Lebanon. They warned against another civil war. They undoubtedly had all the reasons to be worried: the Resistance was backed by the vast majority of the Shiite community, along with a minimal support from some Christians, Druses and other factions. The Pro-Hariri alliance was supported by a vast majority of Sunnis, Druses and Christians. This group held firmly to its opinions despite it being unarmed, and became the victim of a series of coups on the lives of its leaders. Both sides were able to mobilize hundreds of thousands and lead a number of peaceful manifestations that astonished the International Community.

At that point, the United Stated and the West awakened to the fact that this small country is a democracy and needs to be saved. Let us be frank, it is this confessional mosaic that saved Lebanon's democracy. Thanks to this very delicate social structure, Lebanon remains today a united, free, independent and sovereign country.

In their summit of November 7, 2006, Presidents Bush of the United States and Sarkozy of France, underlined that it was in the interest of the Middle East that the Lebanese democracy survive and flourish as a model for other countries in the area.

The Swiss government sent special experts to show solidarity with those professing to neutralize Lebanon giving Swisserland as an example of a multi-ethnic, neutral society. Many foreign envoys and diplomats visited Lebanon. Politics did not serve much however, and only when Hezbollah moved its military might unto the streets of Beirut and the mountains, posing a real threat of a terrible civil war that would endanger the stability of the whole region, did it become clear that a solution was possible. Outsiders, especially regional powers, have recognized that their manipulations of the Lebanese has limits and the time has come to forge a new path in the area and leave Lebanon alone.

A new President has been elected. A new Cabinet is expected at any time, and Lebanon is heading back to normality.

The Lord has sacrificed his body to save mankind. Lebanon has sacrificed its own people and wealth for the sins of the international community in the Middle East. After so much suffering, is it not time the country decided its own destiny?

* Dr. Hisham Hamdan is the Lebanese Ambassador to Argentina since September 2000. He is also a researcher, translator and writer of several books on Lebanon, the the Middle East and world affairs. Email: afahamdan@hotmail.com

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