The images from Saturday in Beirut and Monday in Sharm al-Sheikh sum up the contradictions of the situation in the region.
In Lebanon, from the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Hezbollah projected an image of strength and unity by mobilizing 74,000 young people (according to the party’s figures) who pledged allegiance and loyalty to assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Two days later, in Egypt, U.S. President Donald Trump gathered representatives of around 20 countries to hail the dawn of a new day in the Middle East — one of “peace,” in his own words.
For Trump, there is no doubt: the region stands on the verge of a major transformation that will put an end to a conflict more than 70 years old. And this great change, he says, is of his own making, through his 20-point plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza that has dragged on for more than two years.
Those present in Sharm al-Sheikh all hailed Trump as a “man of peace,” each seeking, in their own way and within their own means, to contribute to the sweeping change underway.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, images of the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes — and of the parade of young Hezbollah supporters at Sports City — continued to dominate the news.
Is Lebanon, then, outside the transformations reshaping the region? Is Hezbollah aware of what is happening around it, or is it taking refuge in such ceremonies to avoid facing a reality that runs counter to its goals — even to its very reason for being?
According to the party, it is keeping quiet about the reasons for organising the Sports City ceremony and about any interpretation that might be placed on it. According to party sources, the ceremony was planned as part of the commemoration of the first anniversary of the assassination of its two leaders, Nasrallah and Hachem Safieddine, to show that the influence of these two extends across several generations.
The message is addressed to all those who want to get rid of Hezbollah and seek to demonstrate that killing fighters is not enough to eliminate its influence, which is far greater than many believe. At the same time, the turnout at the ceremony shows that all these young people who are not yet old enough to bear arms would be ready to do so if the need arises.
Yet when the ceremony was launched, the organizers already knew that the meeting in Sharm al-Sheikh would take place and that it would clearly mark the beginning of a new phase for the region.
According to sources close to Hezbollah, there had been debate over what impact the ceremony might have in such a context. Was there a risk it would be seen as a sign that the party was preparing for a new confrontation with Israel? And, as a result, would that open the door to new criticism against it, on the grounds that it might give Israel a pretext to act?
In the end, it was agreed to go ahead with the ceremony — partly because canceling it would have been seen as a sign of weakness, and partly because it was too late to back out after all the preparations had been completed.
All the more so as Hezbollah does not necessarily believe in the climate of peace that the U.S. president is trying to promote, knowing that, at least since Oslo (1993) and the Madrid Conference (1991), there have been several similar attempts that failed because of the Israelis themselves. On those occasions, Hezbollah had remained ready for a new confrontation.
What was new about this ceremony, however, is that Hezbollah sought to project a new image. It is no longer just an armed group with its commando units and weapons. Rather, it sought to show that it is also a large organization with civilian, educational and social institutions. In this way, it aims to broaden its influence within society by presenting itself as a multifaceted organization in which weapons are only one component.
Is this an indirect way of beginning to open a new chapter at a time when it is under pressure to hand its weapons over to the state? Party officials do not answer that question directly but suggest that they remain ready for any eventuality.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour by Sahar Ghossoub.
Rubio condemns Iran's 'outrageous' attacks on Kuwait
