Let’s Make A Deal

A proposal to rebuild the bridge between Hezbollah and the rest of the Lebanese.

By unilaterally provoking the trigger-happy Israelis yesterday, Hezbollah is squarely to blame for the Lebanese lives wasted, the infrastructure destroyed, the inconvenience caused to millions because of the stalled airport, and the unearned millions of dollars in tourist revenues (with the resulting unemployment and immigration).

However, this is not the time to settle scores. We are under attack and we have to stick together. So here’s my suggestion for an internal “grand bargain”:

We will support Hezbollah for now. We will unite behind them as long as we’re under attack. We will not criticize them publicly. They are welcome in our houses and in our cities. This is a time for unity, not squabbling.

Nevertheless, Hezbollah has a big part of the deal to fulfill once the dust has settled.

The time will be one of public reckoning and accountability. We will be free to voice our discontent, publicly and through institutions without the fear of being called traitors. We will make it clear to the world that Hezbollah is not speaking for all the Lebanese. We will make it well known that we will no longer accept unilateral decisions pertaining to war and peace. No more taking solo decisions and asking for collective support. No more messing up and asking us to shut up. No more missiles launched without the approval of the government.

Our wrath will be very public, but for now, our hearts will be with our brothers in Hezbollah.