They were obsessed with the war between Israel and Hezbollah. It
had to stop: a cease fire at all costs. So Condi Rice stepped into the
fray and, as soon as Israel had truly won the upper hand in battle, she
produced a cease fire. Its terms were on every essential count
altogether vague. The U.N. force that had been a flop for so long in
keeping the peace would now be enlarged. But there was no certainty as
to its numbers or its composition, its mission in general or its
specific relations with Syria and its mercurial pawn, Hezbollah. Hassan Nasrallah taunted everybody that his death machine was stronger
than ever. Most governments laughed. The people of Lebanon--at least
most of its Christians, the Sunnis and the Druze--now realize that his
claims are no joke. The Shi'a grasped that long ago, and most of them
have been following his bloody banner ever since.
The
only success the cease fire had was in preventing Israel from impeding
the Syrian and Iranian rearmament of the fiery militia that has now
shown that its power is not limited to southern Lebanon but extends way
north to Tripoli and into the Bekaa Valley. A very informative account
of the developments in Lebanon--actually a crystal-clear account--in
Monday's
Financial Times reports that "Saudi and Egyptian
officials said they were dismayed by Hizbollah's actions, which they
have described as unacceptable." Unacceptable? This is the vernacular
of pretentious regimes that can affect nothing.
Ten
days ago foolish Israelis took up the chorus of withdrawal from the
Golan and peace with Syria. The sage and sober editorialists in the
Western press got very excited. But the events in Lebanon are more
than a hint that Bashir Assad does not want this celebration.
If
you want to read a truly desolating account of how we came to this pass
and what it implies for the future of the Middle East
read Beni Avni's
article in Monday's
New York Sun.