Figuring Hezbollah Out

The Lebanese are from Mars. Are Hezbollah’s followers from Venus?

I come from the Northern port city of Tripoli. The only time I’ve ever been to the South was after the liberation in 2000, in the context of a “fun trip to the south”. Even when I studied in AUB, it so happened that I didn’t have any friends who come from anywhere south of Saida. In fact my family was so detached from the South that everytime I visited my good friend in Saida, my mom got concerned that I was getting too close to Israel.

In other words, I’m probably guilty of not having “felt” the resistance against the Israeli aggression. This is why I will never be able to really understand the climate from which Hezbollah has emerged, or the reason why its supporters still trust them more than they trust the Lebanese state or the international community.

But listening to various Hezbollah people demonize the United Nations with all what it stands for, call it the “so-called international community that is entirely under the control of the United States and Zionism”, mobilize the masses by sounding dramatically alarmist about an impending threat on Lebanon by “foreigners”, all this makes me question the moral grounds on which Hezbollah, and their supporters stand.

What do Hezbollah supporters want? Arab dignity? Islamic dignity? Resistance for the sake of it? Are they seriously going to destabilize Lebanon to defend Assef Shawkat and Co.?

How “isolated” are Hezbollah’s people from the general Lebanese consensus? Do they only watch Al-manar and Al-Jazeera, or do some of them read Lebanese newspapers, watch Almustaqbal, LBC or Al-Arabia ?

Does the “moderate” AMAL subscribe to the latest fiery statements by Hezbollah?

How much of Hezbollah’s goodwill is left with the national populace? Do they care about their popularity ratings? Are they authentically popular with their voters or are they surrounded by terrified yes-men?

This post is only about questions. I wish I had the answers.