The Rulers of Lebanon and How They Got On Their Seat Of Power Fighting Israel

 Nadene Goldfoot                    Biblical Days

           Jezebel (d: 843 BCE) she was able to influence her husband, King Ahab of Israel into anything.  

.  There was a time when they were friends: The king Hiram of Tyre sent artisans and cedar wood to King Solomon of Israel to help build the Temple.  The 2 kings jointly exploited the commerce between Elath and Ophir via the Red Sea.  

The Tyrian princess Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon,  married King Ahab, son of King Omri of Israel,  who ruled from 876- 853 BCE and introduced Baal worship to the Israelites, and the religious and cultural influence of Tyre penetrated to Israel and even to Judah. The Jewish population in Lebanon was ancient.  There have been Jews living today in Beirut.  There had been Jewish communities in Tripoli, Tyre, and Sidon.  They were engaged in commerce;  trading.

     Alexander the Great in red and white in the Temple in Jerusalem 

 By Assyrian and Babylonian history, Tyre was denounced by Ezekiel (Ch. 27), and suffered a series of Sieges and in 332 BCE, was captured by Alexander the Great.                            

                                   Modern Days

The situation today is impossible.  Lebanon has no power over their country at all.  Hezbollah rules.. It hasn't always been like this.

Lebanon rules by 1. The High-Level Power Sharing ("The Troika")

By unwritten convention (originating from the 1943 National Pact), the three highest offices in the nation are strictly divided among the largest communities: 

• President: Always a Maronite Christian.
• Prime Minister: Always a Sunni Muslim.
• Speaker of Parliament: Always a Shia Muslim.

From 1947-1949, Israel's War of Independence, Lebanese forces invaded Israel along with their peers.  In 1944, the middle of WWII, there was the population of 6,261 Jews in Lebanon.  After 1948 this number grew by Jews entering from Syria, and the population by 1964 was from 5,000 to 7,000l.  After 67's Six Day War, the number lessened,                       

Hezbollah

Most of the 1,000 remaining Jews by 1975  left during the Civil War and by 1990 less than 100 remained.  Hezbollah was formed in 1982 by Lebanese Shiite clerics, heavily backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.  Israel invaded Lebanon in June 1982 (often referred to as the 1982 Lebanon War - Wikipedia or Operation Peace for Galilee) to stop cross-border attacks, destroy the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the region, and install a pro-Israel government in Lebanon. 

                    Bachir Gemayel -"General" Gemayel allied with Israel and his forces fought the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Syrian Army.

Two men served as President of Lebanon in 1982: Élias Sarkis and Amine Gemayel. A third president-elect, Bachir Gemayel, was assassinated before taking office.  He was elected president on 23 August 1982, but was assassinated before taking office on 14 September, via a bomb explosion by Habib Shartouni, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.

 Championing the Shiite population—historically marginalized by the country's ruling Christian and Sunni elite—Hezbollah established itself as a premier resistance force fighting to expel Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, which Israel ultimately withdrew from in 2000. Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in May 2000 primarily because the 18-year occupation had become a severe military and political burden. The prolonged presence in the self-declared "security zone" proved unsustainable due to escalating guerrilla warfare from Hezbollah, mounting Israeli casualties, and a growing domestic protest movement demanding troops be brought home,

The Lebanese Parliament: Confessional Seats: or how they decide things, how they vote.   

The Lebanese Parliament is a unicameral body consisting of 128 directly elected Deputies. In accordance with the Constitution, all parliamentary seats are divided equally between Christians and Muslims.  

The seats are further sub-divided into eleven confessional branches (four within Islam and seven within Christianity). The distribution of the 128 seats among the eleven confessions listed here is formalized under the 2008 Election Law.

The single seat for Christian Minorities is intended to provide parliamentary representation for six recognized confessional groups. Lebanese citizens of any other religion, including two that are formally recognized by the State, are unable to be elected to Parliament.

Today:  The President of Lebanon is Joseph Aoun.  Again and yet again, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that went into effect at 4:00 p.m. local time today. However, the situation dramatically flared overnight when an intense exchange of fire broke out just as diplomats were attempting to announce the fresh truce.Impact: The fierce exchange of fire overnight and into today resulted in the deaths of at least 18 civilians and four Israeli soldiers.   For the most recent flare-up between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli officials stated they launched strikes in southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah killing four Israeli soldiers in an attack on a tank.

 Diplomatic Fallout: Conflict Flared: The situation repeated itself as Israeli forces unleashed lethal salvos just as a ceasefire was being finalized, a recurring pattern in the conflict.  Let it be known that Hezbollah strikes first and then Israel follows up to beat the heck out of them;  teach them a lesson of STOP FIRING !!!!!

The sudden flare-up prompted Iran to suspend planned peace and de-escalation talks with the United States in Switzerland. [What a way for Iran to get out of it!].  Massive Missile Arsenal: Hezbollah possesses a vast, highly precise arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets capable of striking deep into Israeli population centers, critical infrastructure, and military bases within minutes. An initial strike would trigger this retaliation, resulting in significant civilian casualties and infrastructural damage.  Israel is on top of this.  They know of this danger.  

Goals Of Netanyahu's Likud Party Affecting Vance And Trump ?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                       

Benjamin Netanyahu and other Likud members make a number four gesture (credit: LIKUD SPOKESPERSON)

The Likud party aims to secure the northern border against Hezbollah by maintaining military deterrence, pushing for enforcement of truce agreements requiring Hezbollah to leave southern Lebanon, and refusing to restrict IDF operations. 

Currently, five countries operate without a single codified, written constitution: Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. 

"Unwritten" (or uncodified) doesn't mean these countries lack constitutional laws; instead, they rely on a collection of separate foundational documents, statutes, judicial precedents, and unwritten traditions rather than one unified text.                                 

Rooted in Revisionist Zionism, the party views the Land of Israel as an eternal birthright and advocates for uncompromising state security and the defense of all Jewish communities.

Likud (Hebrew: הַלִּיכּוּד,  'The Consolidation'), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement is a major right-wing political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon in an alliance with several right-wing parties. 

Likud emphasizes national security policy based on a strong military force when threatened with continued enmity against Israel. It has shown reluctance to negotiate with its neighbors whom it believes continue to seek the destruction of the Jewish state, that based on the principle of the party founder Menachem Begin concerning the preventive policy to any potential attacks on State of Israel. Its suspicion of neighboring Arab nations' intentions, however, has not prevented the party from reaching agreements with Israel's neighbors, such as the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. Likud's willingness to enter mutually accepted agreements with neighboring countries over the years is related to the formation of other right-wing parties. Like other right-wing parties in Israel, Likud politicians have sometimes criticized particular Supreme Court decisions, but it remains committed to rule of law principles that it hopes to entrench in a written constitution.

Israel does not have a single, formal, written constitution. Instead, it operates under an uncodified constitutional system.  Instead of a single document, Israel relies on a collection of "Basic Laws". These laws, such as those defining the structure of the government and protecting human rights, hold a semi-constitutional status. 

This piecemeal constitutional framework came about for a few key reasons:

• The Harari Resolution: Under the 1950 Harari Resolution, the Israeli legislature (the Knesset) decided to pass Basic Laws individually, with the intention of eventually compiling them into a single, formalized constitution. This unified compilation has never been completed.
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  David Ben Gurion, to become Prime Minister of Israel,  reading the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel © GPO/Hans Pin. 

• On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The new state was recognized that night by the United States and three days later by the USSR.

• Religious and Political Divisions: Early leaders, including David Ben-Gurion, faced deep disagreements between secular groups and religious factions regarding the role of Jewish religious law (Halacha) and state identity, leading them to avoid a rigid constitutional document.  Because Israel's system of proportional representation means no single party ever wins an outright majority in the 120-seat parliament (Knesset), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has historically relied on coalitions built with ultra-Orthodox and extreme right-wing religious parties to secure and maintain power.
• Judicial Review: Over time, the Israeli Supreme Court determined that because these Basic Laws function as a constitution, the court has the power of judicial review and can strike down laws that contradict them.
• The national identity of Israel was most recently restated on July 19, 2018, when the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People.  (#1 below)
• In July 2018, the Israeli Knesset passed the highly controversial "Nation-State" Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. 
  The law constitutionally anchored Israel's character as the nation-state of the Jewish people. It was "shook up" and passed for the following reasons: 
  • National Self-Determination: It explicitly established that the right to national self-determination in Israel is "unique to the Jewish people".
  • Hebrew Language: It made Hebrew the country's sole official language, downgrading Arabic from an official language to one with a "special status". 
  • Jewish Settlement: It established the development of Jewish settlements as a national value and mandated that the state promote it.

• Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People

  1 — Basic principles

  A. The land of Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established.

  B. The State of Israel is the national home of the Jewish people, in which it fulfills its natural, cultural, religious and historical right to self-determination.

  C. The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.

• Netanyahu had reason enough to defend Israel's land from Hezbollah.  At the same time, his act might have strengthened Lebanon into fighting Hezbollah as well. 

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The Point of the 14 That Trump and Netanyahu Do Not Agree Upon

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                 

     Burkan Rocket used by Hezbollah against IDF Security Zone in Lebanon

Yesterday, 6/17/26,  the IDF struck Hezbollah targets in several areas of southern Lebanon in response to rockets fired against troops operating in Lebanon.  Evidently Hezbollah decided not to follow Trump's orders.  Israel reserves the right to defend itself.  This was defending themselves against rockets with the designation of hitting IDF stationed in Lebanon due to Israel's preventative measures that Lebanon knows about.  

   Securiy Zone of Israel defensively shooting back at Rockets

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are stationed in a security zone up to 10 kilometers inside southern Lebanon as part of a forward defense strategy. The primary goal is to establish a buffer zone that physically separates Hezbollah fighters from Israeli communities near the northern border.  This is thereby neutralizing threats and preventing future attacks. The rockets were aimed to hit the security zone.  Heavy Artillery Rockets: The Burkan rocket is one of the most prominent short-range, heavy-payload rockets used by Hezbollah against IDF outposts and headquarters in the border region. It carries a massive explosive warhead designed for significant blast radius.    

                         Iron Dome anti-rocket device

The rockets were intercepted, but it wasn't easy to do.  Israel can primarily intercept the short-range Burkan rocket using a high-energy laser cannon, like the developing Iron Beam, or by destroying the launch vehicles directly.   Traditional kinetic systems, such as the Iron Dome, are generally unable to intercept the Burkan due to the rocket's very short range and massive explosive payload. 

The Iranian military command threatened to attack Israel if it continued attacking in Lebanon. 

President Trump addressed the issue at the G7 summit in France saying, “I am not happy with the way Israel has acted toward Lebanon and toward Hezbollah. They should have finished that job faster. It just goes on and on and on. (He's talking about the length of the war between Israel and Hezbollah).   And when that happens, it casts a negative shadow over the big deal, and the big deal is the agreement with Iran.”                            

 He added, “When you ask me about Bibi — we have an exceptional relationship.” Trump also said that Syria should handle Hezbollah, and they would do a better job at it. [It's unclear what that means. Doesn't seem to make much sense.]

Donald Ttrump and Ahmed Sharaa met in Riyadh on Wednesday.  

Donald Trump has said his administration is now exploring the possibility of normalizing relations with Syria - his comments coming shortly after he met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces ended the decades-long dictatorship of the Assad family.

The extraordinary encounter, unthinkable just months ago, was short but significant.

"I think he has got the potential," Trump remarked after his meeting in Riyadh, 37 minutes long, with the former Syrian fighter formerly linked to al-Qaeda.

The $10m US bounty on his head was only lifted in December.

I believe it means that the present President of Syria,  a former terrorist himself, Jolani, could do it.  Trump likes Jolani.  The people of Syria have many complaints about having a former terrorist who is still  one in their minds, as a president.  They definitely don't like him unless they are also his underlings of those former days and enjoyed beating up people in prison.  

Historically, Jolani’s forces—first as the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and later as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—fought brutal sectarian battles against Hezbollah, which had intervened in Syria to support the Assad regime,  On the international stage, Al-Sharaa's government has positioned itself as opposed to the Iran-backed Hezbollah, to the point of drawing praise from U.S. and Israeli leadership for acting as a counterweight to the militia.  For Jolani, he's a success with others other than his constituents.  It paid off being a terrorist, in a way.  He hasn't been challenged in Syria as yet.  What would that do to the whole balance of the Middle East?  

   Ballistic Missiles:  Payloads: They can carry a wide variety of warheads, ranging from conventional high explosives to nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons. Versatility: Depending on the type of weapon, they can be launched from land-based silos, mobile truck and rail launchers, submarines, surface ships, or aircraft .                               

When Trump speaks about Iran’s right to maintain ballistic missiles because other countries have them too, and about Syria under Ahmed al-Sharaa being able to handle Hezbollah, it amounts to a severe blow to Israel. Not only to Benjamin Netanyahu, who seems he has failed in his role and has not managed to translate significant military achievements by the IDF, Mossad, and Military Intelligence into a single meaningful diplomatic gain vis-à-vis Iran. Trump has lowered his position in the Middle East as a strong horse!!!

Trump thinks that all countries deserve to have the same number of ballistic missiles, so Iran gets them too!  Yee Gads !! The insanity of this decision is overwhelming me !!!!  Iran is now on the moral values as the USA !!!!! And the same sanity!!!!! And this is the Ayatollah government we're talking about who machine gunned down thousands of their own young people including babies not so long ago because they were demonstrating in the streets. Of course, Trump doesn't remember that or see it with the same eyes I do, but how about Vance????? 

What Israeli commentators have analyzed about the 14 point of Trumps list is quite the opposite to Fox News, Vance and other commentators. I guess you really have to be a an excellent lawyer to figure the wording of the deal.

Resource:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dqp842nl8o