Writing in the Al Mayadeen Arabic website, Ghassan Melhem, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the Lebanese University argues that the Lebanese Resistance derives its political legitimacy and legal validity primarily from its embodiment of the people’s will to confront the Israeli enemy. The Palestine Chronicle translated and summarized his article below.
There are those who continue to claim, from here and there, that the resistance, or more accurately, the Party of Resistance, is a “state within a state” in Lebanon! This statement misleads the public, distorts reality, and misrepresents both the party and the resistance. It is unacceptable, illogical, and should not be left unaddressed as if one were accepting or agreeing with it. Such statements fall under the category of unfairly attacking the resistance and spreading hatred against it.
The Question of Sovereignty
Lebanon’s national sovereignty faces numerous, even significant, challenges. It appears incomplete and fragmented, lacking full structure, conditions, and descriptions. The same applies to Lebanon’s national independence.
The reason for this is the continued Israeli occupation and aggression, in addition to external interventions—both international and regional—that influence Lebanon’s internal affairs, as well as the foreign domination over the Lebanese state and political authority.
Notably, Western influence in general and American influence in particular, along with internal subordination to foreign hegemony, only worsened Lebanon’s dependency.
From this perspective, Lebanese resistance gains even greater importance. This resistance is driven by the national will for independence, sovereignty, dignity, and national interests.
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Government, Military, and Official Legitimacy
There is no doubt that the logic of the Lebanese state, with its dual aspects—sovereignty and national legitimacy—leads to a clear national equation. This equation asserts that the government, on the political level, and the military, on the military and security levels, as well as the Lebanese armed forces and security forces, form the foundation of Lebanon’s official legitimacy.
The Lebanese political authority must empower the military and security institutions within the country’s overall state policy. This includes equipping and developing the military’s capabilities—both combat and logistical—regardless of international decisions, particularly Western ones, on this matter.
Resistance and Popular Legitimacy
The Lebanese resistance against the Israeli occupation or aggression is a manifestation of the popular will to confront the continuing threat of Israeli occupation and aggression.
Thus, the Lebanese resistance gains both political legitimacy and legal validity, primarily due to the existence of the Israeli threat. It also derives its legitimacy as a representation of the people’s will—or a part of the people’s will—to stand against the Israeli enemy.
This is in line with the United Nations Charter’s provision of the natural right to self-defense, as well as the Lebanese National Accord Document, which affirms the right to take actions and measures to confront Israeli occupation and liberate Lebanese territories.
Therefore, the Lebanese resistance is not a militia, and its weapons are not illegitimate. The Lebanese resistance is the core and backbone of Lebanon’s popular legitimacy. It is not outside the framework of Lebanon’s official legitimacy or the state’s national legitimacy.
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Official legitimacy and popular legitimacy are two sides of the same coin, integral to Lebanon’s national legitimacy. Official legitimacy cannot contradict or oppose popular legitimacy; rather, it is based on it.
Lebanon and the War with Israel
The state of war between Lebanon and Israel remains in force under international law, whether the war is hot or cold. This is true even in the case of a return to a ceasefire or suspension of military operations and hostilities.
To this day, the Lebanese state remains incapable of shouldering national responsibility in confronting the Israeli enemy.
This is a reality, and while we do not want to believe or accept that Lebanon does not wish to assume this responsibility, it is, unfortunately, weak and fragile. Lebanon suffers from political weakness, making it incapable of independently facing Israeli threats and dangers.
Thus, resistance remains, and for the time being continues to be, a national interest and necessity, supporting the state and under its umbrella—not at its expense.
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Lebanon vs. Israel
The enduring state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel goes beyond the war itself. It is a long-term, far-reaching enmity with multiple dimensions. It is ideological, historical, political, military, and strategic. This enmity is of great importance and poses serious risks to Lebanon’s national interests.
This ongoing hostility renders any possibility of normalization, peace, or even neutrality untenable. The Lebanese model stands in stark contrast to the Israeli model, and this discrepancy endures throughout the entire journey, until the very end. Hence, resistance remains an urgent, indispensable national need, especially as Israel will not leave Lebanon in peace.
The State-Building Project in Lebanon
As we turn to the present political and historical moment and attempt to outline the features and parameters of the next political and historical phase, we review past political and historical experiences to draw lessons from them. The discussion inevitably turns to the project of state-building and the need to prioritize and implement it.
Calls for rebuilding the Lebanese state have surfaced once again. This is not the first time, and it may not be the last. At this critical juncture, it is essential to affirm that the existence and continuation of the Lebanese resistance is a national guarantee for protecting the newly established Lebanese state from Israeli violations and aggressions.
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In this context, the resistance can stand with the army against any Israeli attempt or conspiracy aimed at undermining the Lebanese state or targeting it.
The Lebanese resistance is an inseparable part of the Lebanese state, alongside its people and military. The “triple equation” is not surreal; it is not detached from reality. The resistance belongs to the people, defending and protecting both them and the country as a whole.
The role of the resistance in defending Lebanon complements the role of the army in confronting Israel as Lebanon’s enemy. This is a historical and essential truth, one that is fixed and inevitable. It is the highest national interest.
(Al Mayadeen Arabic Website – Translated and prepared by the Palestine Chronicle)
