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Lebanese Hezbollah expert Hanin Ghaddar told The Jerusalem Post that the Lebanese government is not serious about disarming Hezbollah despite recent legislation, calling the promise "only ink on paper." Her comments come after two Hezbollah operatives were released on bail, raising questions about Lebanon's enforcement of its own arms restrictions.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported on the release of two Hezbollah operatives from Lebanese military custody, providing details from a judicial source. The report notes that the two men were released by the first investigative military judge, Ghada Abou Alwan, after a month in detention, with bail set at 100 million Lebanese pounds (approximately $1,120). A separate Jerusalem Post article features an interview with Ghaddar, who discussed her personal experiences with Hezbollah's influence in Lebanon's military and government.

While the two articles share similar framing on Hezbollah's control, the first focuses more on the specific case of the released operatives, while the second centers on Ghaddar's analysis of Lebanon's inability to disarm the group. Both cite similar facts about the March ban on Hezbollah's military activities and the group's ongoing attacks.

Key Claims

  • Release of Hezbollah operatives: According to The Jerusalem Post, Lebanese media reports indicate that Lebanon is no longer holding any Hezbollah operatives accused of violating new arms restrictions. Two members were released on bail after a month in detention, as reported by a judicial source to Lebanese outlet L'Orient Today.
  • Admissions of weapons transport: The released suspects admitted to transporting 21 Grad missiles, 3,000 rounds of ammunition, and eight machine guns from the Bekaa Valley to southern Lebanon, as reported by London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, citing a judicial source.
  • Lebanon's ban on Hezbollah military activities: In March, Lebanon banned military activities by Hezbollah after the group opened fire on Israel to avenge the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to The Jerusalem Post.
  • Hezbollah's continued attacks: Despite the ban, Hezbollah continues to fire drones and missiles into northern Israel, violating a ceasefire agreement, as stated in The Jerusalem Post's report.
  • Prime Minister's stance: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Hezbollah's attack showed disregard for "the will of the majority of Lebanese" and decried attempts to drag the country into another war, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post.
  • Alma Research and Education Center's view: The Alma Research and Education Center claimed that the release of Hezbollah operatives was evidence that Lebanon's military is yielding to the group, according to The Jerusalem Post.
  • Ghaddar's personal experience: Ghaddar, a Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute, was sentenced in absentia to six months in prison in 2018 for commenting on the Lebanese army's treatment of Sunnis and its affiliations with Hezbollah. She told The Jerusalem Post she has not returned to her home in Al-Ghazieh, believing she will be targeted for her work exposing the group.
  • Hezbollah's control: Ghaddar emphasized that Hezbollah has significant control over Lebanon's government and economy, which makes it difficult for the country to disarm the group, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
  • Civil war legacy: The report also mentions that Lebanon's civil war, which ended in 1990, has left authorities reluctant to take action against Hezbollah out of fear of another conflict.

Perspectives

Hezbollah's actions are framed critically by The Jerusalem Post, which uses terms like "terrorists" and describes the group as an "Iranian terror arm." The report notes that the Lebanese group Al-Houqouqiyoun al-Wataniyoun (national lawyers) protested the arrests, insisting that the men were "resistance fighters" arming themselves "for Lebanon and its people." This perspective, while not directly from Hezbollah, reflects a view that the group's actions are legitimate resistance.

Ghaddar's perspective highlights a deep skepticism about the Lebanese government's willingness or ability to confront Hezbollah, citing the release of operatives and the group's entrenched influence. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's comments, on the other hand, express disappointment with Hezbollah's actions, framing them as against the will of the majority of Lebanese. These differing viewpoints illustrate the complex domestic tensions within Lebanon regarding Hezbollah's role.