Lebanon: Working Towards Ending Confessionalism

This weekend, President Sleiman called for the creation of a committee to work towards the abolition of confessional politics in Lebanon. He also urged for “changing the electoral law relating to general elections in order to obtain better representation and restore to expatriates their rights.” Meanwhile, the Lebanese Forces-Phalange Party alliance beat the Free Patriotic Movement-Marada alliance in a landslide, securing 29 of 33 seats in the Notre Dame University student elections. University elections are largely viewed through the lens of sectarian power struggles in Lebanon.

Rami Khouri urges the new Lebanese cabinet to address the issue of Palestinian-Lebanese relations. The dialogue between Lebanese and Palestinians largely stalled after the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, the subsequent political paralysis, and the fighting in Nahr al-Bared. However, Khouri argues now the time is ripe to settle outstanding issues of Lebanese sovereignty and Palestinian dignity.

Finally, Peter Berkowitz in the Weekly Standard contends that, for Hezbollah, resistance does not just refer to Israel, but “a fight to the death against the claims of liberty and democracy in Lebanon.” Therefore, the U.S. should deemphasize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, support civil society, limit Iran’s ability to finance Hezbollah, and engage Syria to convince them to stop serving as a supply line between Iran and Hezbollah.