New recruits of the Lebanese army during a military parade, June 22, 2023. (Credit: Lebanese Army/X)
At the last government meeting on Aug. 14, the caretaker government gave its "agreement in principle" to a plan submitted to it by the army command: The recruitment of nearly 1,500 new soldiers, as part of a process that should ultimately increase the number of troops by at least 6,000 men who will be deployed in southern Lebanon.
At a time when clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continue to rage in this region, this approach is part of a post-war plan intended to prepare the ground for the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701. This resolution provides for the deployment of nearly 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to the south, alongside the United Nations Interim Force for Lebanon (UNIFIL). This new decision comes in the midst of a diplomatic push to contain the excesses and achieve a cease-fire in Gaza as well as in Lebanon. But in a country where the state is increasingly drained, particularly due to the economic crisis, it is difficult to see how this plan could be implemented.
Waiting for funding
Divided into several phases, the plan consists in a first stage – called phase zero – of consolidating coordination with donors to secure the necessary funds and continuing logistical and administrative preparations to launch a call for volunteers. This will be followed by the first phase, which requires a political agreement in advance and begins with the summoning of the first group of volunteers, i.e. 2,000 people, for training. At the same time, the military institution should begin by receiving equipment from donor countries and begin recruitment requests for the second group.
The second phase will begin with the dispatch to southern Lebanon of the first volunteers to join the units already there – some 4,000 soldiers. The same goes for the third phase, which provides for the dispatch of a third group of soldiers, to reach a total of 6,000 soldiers deployed on the border. As for the fourth phase, it is dedicated to the evaluation of the process once implemented to detect possible flaws and plan the next steps in accordance with the needs on the ground.
But this is easier said than done. According to a source close to the military institution contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, "the plan is certainly ready, but remains theoretical in the absence of a budget."
"In addition to salaries (there is talk of a remuneration of 300 to 400 dollars per soldier), a budget of nearly $4,000 extra per head is needed to cover the cost of uniforms, equipment and weapons," stated the source.
"It must be said that Lebanon already has difficulty providing the means for the soldiers already in service," said a Western diplomatic source. "It will not be easy to recruit more."
"This plan is above all a message addressed abroad to signify that the army and Lebanon are ready to prepare for the period to come," stated a source close to military circles.
"It is to say that the army is capable of filling the 'void' left in the event of Hezbollah's withdrawal. To also say that there is a state option and that Lebanon is ready to play a role in the implementation of 1701," said Michael Young, editor-in-chief of Diwan.
Criticized for its apathy and its laissez-faire policy towards Hezbollah, which unilaterally decided to open a front of support for Hamas from southern Lebanon, Najib Mikati's government hopes to restore its image by demonstrating its determination to contribute to a settlement.
Military experts say that this plan is part of a routine process that all armies resort to, even in peacetime. "The army always needs personnel because, during the year, there are hundreds, even thousands of personnel who leave it because they have reached retirement age," stated General Khalil Helou, a retired officer and military analyst.
This is all the more urgent since the depreciation of the national currency and the lack of budget, premature departures have accelerated at a frightening rate. It is on donor countries – notably Qatar and the United States – that the army has now been counting for some time for the payment of salaries.
"As for the timing, it is undoubtedly part of an overall vision with a view to strengthening the deployment on the southern border in the event that Lebanon reaches a ceasefire agreement with Israel," explained Helou. "As long as the new recruits are young people motivated by the mission and who are not simply looking to leave."
One thing is certain: There is probably no shortage of volunteers. According to sources close to the army, the military institution has received nearly 35,000 applications to join the ranks of the institution over the past year, most of which come from Sunni regions, slightly fewer from Shiite villages and even less from Christian areas.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
