Autumn, martyrs, and “the last garden”

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The harshest punishment is for the world to forget you or consider you sick with no hope of recovery. This is compounded by your lack of papers. You do not have any straits that threaten to be closed, nor a nuclear program that threatens to increase its enrichment rate. Amid the world's preoccupation with the straits and arsenals, Netanyahu's army continues its major crime, executing the death sentence on dozens of villages in southern Lebanon. It is her fault that it was allegedly used to launch attacks on Israel. He killed the houses, killed the people of the houses, and did not spare the trees. It is as if he wants to prevent any witness from giving his testimony before the court of history if it convenes one day. This motorized army uses the excuse that Hezbollah was the initiator of launching the war once to support Gaza in the wake of the “Flood of Sinwar,” and the second time to avenge the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by Israel. He explicitly says that Lebanon must pay the price for losing the war.

On the way to Sidon, the gateway to southern Lebanon, autumn did not skimp on its first rains. Old scenes awakened in my memory. One distant day, I was heading to the newspaper headquarters and saw the autumn rains falling violently on Beirut. I watched it uproot pictures of martyrs from the walls of the city and extract words from the enthusiastic slogans that the warriors had created and imagined would last forever. Since those days, the images of the martyrs have been associated in my mind with the autumn rains that chase their pictures, which will only remain hanging on the walls of their homes and in the sorrows of their mothers.

It is as if this earth is afflicted with an endless thirst. She drinks the blood of one generation and then renews her longing for the blood of another. It is true that nations sometimes need martyrs to regain their land, sovereignty, and independent decision-making, but it is also true that the role of nations cannot be limited to producing martyrs and bidding farewell to the martyrs. Homeland is an opportunity for life and progress. The homeland is not a factory of martyrs and funerals.

I say martyrs and I mean all those who gave their lives in many wars. War on a hill in the mountain. Or on the contact line in Beirut. In the city that was divided, autumn was attacking the images of all the martyrs, regardless of their inclinations and warring slogans. It was the city's habit to forget its martyrs. And to resign from their actions is as if they were hasty when they threw their fresh lives into the fire that was fading, going on vacation, and then returning to reignite. The leaders of the parties and militias pledged not to forget the martyrs, but the homelands have a memory that forgets. Nothing remains of the martyrs except the sadness that preys on the days of the bereaved, widows, and orphans.

The war captivated the Lebanese. They rushed into their wars and the wars of others. They dreamed of a resounding victory and a knockout, but they returned disappointed. Lebanon's structure does not allow for this type of victories. It only allows a quasi-victory that opens the door to a future war. I now remember a conversation with George Hawi, who participated in launching the “Lebanese National Resistance Front” against Israel in 1982. He sent young men to resist the occupation and also sent them to internal wars. In the end, Hawi regretted getting involved in the wars between the Lebanese, and I was surprised when he said: “I wish we had not fired any bullets.” The dreams of the communist leader extended from Beirut to Moscow. After costly experiments, he concluded that the greatest task is to preserve a “last garden” called Lebanon.

No Lebanese has a last garden other than Lebanon, no matter how fragile and confused this garden is and does not allow for the realization of grand dreams. Maroni does not have another garden. The Sunni has nothing else. The same applies to Shiites and Druze. For decades, Lebanese groups have made premeditated bets beyond Lebanon's ability to bear. Experiences say that whenever a Lebanese party strengthens itself with a regional and international ally to weaken the position of its partner in the homeland, the fire breaks out, Lebanon becomes more disintegrated, and the combatants become weaker, despite their use of stimulants and delusions. Lebanon is currently residing under its rubble after Lebanese groups bet on the Palestinian organizations, Israel, Syria, and Iran.

Half a century ago, Lebanon fell into a perpetual violent fall. The leaves of the tree of coexistence have fallen. And papers on the characteristics of Lebanon and its political, banking, educational and tourism role. The branches of the state tree became calcified and the smell of the “Lebanese square” wafted. Leaves of hope fell and the Lebanese youth took the path of immigration. The Lebanese missed the opportunity created by the Taif Agreement and resumed their journey towards the abyss.

Lebanon is currently in an unprecedented predicament. He lost the war and Israel occupies some of his land, turning it into scorched earth and threatening more. The American ambassador to Lebanon says frankly that Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the territories it occupies unless Hezbollah is disarmed. Any calm reading of the international situation in general leads to the belief that there is an international will for Lebanon to exit the military aspect of the conflict with Israel. The Syrian President captured the dimensions of the new international climate, the reality of the balance of power, Israel’s aggression, and its new military doctrine. He chose the slogan “Syria First,” which is similar to saving the “last garden.”

The Lebanese state does not have a magic solution to get out of the impasse. It has no choice but to bet on Trump's ability to put pressure on Netanyahu if Lebanon is able to gather the conditions for returning to a state that monopolizes weapons and decides on war and peace. On the other hand, Hezbollah reads the situation differently, and continues to bet on Iran and the settlement it can conclude with America. Hezbollah refuses to dwell on the extent of the change that occurred in its strength and regional role after Syria left the axis of resistance. After two years of the absence of its historic Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, the party refuses to pay attention to the fact that a Lebanese majority does not support keeping Lebanon suspended in the flames of the region’s wars.

Lebanon begins its journey back to a state that accommodates everyone, or its wounds will deepen in the fall. The continued disintegration and loss portend that the winds of autumn will blow upon the Lebanese structure itself. By wasting the blood of all martyrs without exception. Only the state worthy of the name preserves the blood of the martyrs from being lost. The Lebanese have no right to slaughter their last garden.

Quoted from "Asharq Al-Awsat"