A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Israel on Alert about Lebanon

You can feel the temperature risin' in Lebanon, but Elvis has nothing to do with it. Israel's security cabinet is meeting today over concerns, in the wake of the CBC report leaking parts of the Special Tribunal on Lebanon's findings, Hizbullah might, as Ha'aretz puts it, "try to take over Lebanon."

This is probably just posturing but, combined with worries about a new Lebanese civil war, it reminds us that the STL is playing with fire. It's seeking justice, but even Rafiq Sa‘d Hariri, who would seem to have as much interest as anyone in solving his father's murder, is trying to dial back on the tensions.

Lebanon being Lebanon, he could ask Walid Jumblatt how he coped with his father's murder.

3 comments:

David Mack said...

Justice is fine for poets, saints and law school students. It is dicey for political leaders and diplomats. Sound statecraft always makes a place for reconciliation to end the cycle of vengeance, avoid wars and advance the common good. Hope that does not sound too cynical. Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

" even Rafiq Hariri, who would seem to have as much interest as anyone in solving his father's murder, is trying to dial back on the tensions."

It would be magnanimous indeed for Rafiq Hariri to be trying to dial back the tensions from beyond his grave.

Michael Collins Dunn said...

Oops. Sa'd Hariri, of course.