Since Lebanon’s founding in 1920, no year has been as defining as the one we’ve just experienced. While our history is marked by critical turning points, this year eclipses them all. From the outbreak of the Civil War in 1975 to the 1982 departure of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the assassination of Bachir Gemayel; from the Taif Agreement in 1989 to the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and its repercussions in 2005; from the influx of weapons into Beirut in 2008 to the catastrophic humanitarian disaster of 2020 – no previous year compares to the transformative impact of this one.
The year 2024 stands unparalleled, surpassing all previous ones without contest. It was the year when every obstacle to the establishment of a state in Lebanon, both internal and external, was decisively removed.
This is a political reflection, not a humanitarian or emotional one. Thus, there is no need to justify calling this year significant, even as we recognize the innocent lives lost. These lives were indeed victims of the state’s absence, and their martyrdom has paved the way for a new chapter, one that heralds the promise of a renewed Lebanon.
Since 1958, several factors have hindered the establishment of a state in Lebanon. Initially, it was the influence of Abdel Nasser's regime in the Arab Republic and the presence of Palestinian arms under Yasser Arafat after 1967. During the war, and particularly in the pivotal year of 1982, Egypt's authority was replaced by Syria’s, and Arafat’s weapons were replaced by Hezbollah’s. Thus, the current situation – the absence of the Assad regime in Syria and Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon – marks the end of a crucial historical chapter that began in 1956.
Lebanon has only had 13 years of independence, free from foreign influence or external crises directly impacting its sovereignty. Subsequently, disasters and tragedies followed, with the country bearing the cost on behalf of all Arab nations.
Today, Lebanon closes the chapter that began in 1956. The consequences of 68 years of conflict reach their conclusion in this defining year, which is why we speak of a genuine opportunity that has not been seen in many years.
The most crucial point following this historical reckoning is that the factors that once obstructed the establishment of a state must now truly open the door to it. Failing to remove these obstacles and implement real solutions would betray an opportunity that may not come again for another century.
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