WhatsappWhen Ehud Barak suddenly pulled out the IDF from southern Lebanon in 2000, Israel’s Christian allies in Lebanon essentially broke apart and lost out to the Iranian backed Hezbollah. Since that year, the anti-Hezbollah former Christian allies of Israel have had to remain quiet. As Israel moves deeper into Lebanon, things are beginning to change.
While Christians in Lebanon are not monolithic, they are aware that Hezbollah and Iran that are responsible for drawing Israel back into Lebanon. Some have remained in vocal opposition to Israel, but have also taken upon themselves to equally attack Hezbollah. Yet, there is a growing number of Christians - (both Maronite and Greek Orthodox) in southeastern Lebanon that are hoping Israel fully deposes Hezbollah south of the Litani. This Christian minority is centered in Marjaayoun, which served as the de facto capital of Israel’s southern Lebanese security zone from 1985 to 2000. This security zone was in an essence an autonomous region under the auspices of the SLA, Israel’s Christian ally and the joint security apparatus of both the IDF and SLA.
With the IDF rolling into Khiam, a once majority Christian and Druze village, but now occupied by Hezbollah, Israel is a few kilometers from Marjaayoun, a majority Christian and Druze city that sits on the southern banks of the Litani. With anti-Hezbollah sentiment soaring amongst the Christian and Druze populaces in Lebanon, will Israel reestablish its old partnerships and this time make a permanent Christian- Druze autonomous zone in southeastern Lebanon?
If Israel’s leaders want to solidify their support in Washington (if Trump wins) and ensure quiet for decades to come, they should finally carve out a safe zone stretching from Maroun Al Ras to the Lebanese Hermon and southern Beqqa Valley where there is a solid majority of Druze and Christians.
In time this area should be incorporated into a federalized relationship with Israel, where the latter provides over all security and freedom of religion and the former benefits from Israeli tourism and economic development. While there has been talk about this plan before, it can only be implemented if the IDF is sent into Marjaayoun – not as conquerers, but as liberators.
With “ceasefire” talks now having now fallen apart between the US, Israel, and Lebanon, the IDF has only a few kilometers to go until it reaches Marjaayoun. Once it does – the Shiite control of southeastern Lebanon will be permanently broken – leaving only southwestern Lebanon to be dealt with.
