Obstacles to Hezbollah’s integration into the state: Between collective memory, dependence and ideology

Hezbollah’s integration into the state is the central issue of the current period, as both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam advocate for the state’s exclusive control of weapons. Even Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed support for this effort. Yet the main actor concerned remains reluctant.The party has been weakened by the fallout from its “support front” for Hamas, which has deeply affected its popular base. While this can be largely attributed to external factors — notably Iran’s refusal and Israel’s lack of cooperation — it is clear that internal dynamics also play a role in Hezbollah’s, and more broadly the Shiite community’s, enduring mistrust of the state.A 'violated' communityThis mistrust is partly rooted in psychological and sociocultural factors deeply embedded in the collective...