Lebanon's survival dilemma: Overcoming the grip of Iran and Hezbollah

Jaafarite Mufti Ahmad Kabalan, who is close to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, said on Wednesday that any "presidential compromise that conflicts" with Hezbollah's ongoing fight against Israel will not be accepted, according to state-run National News Agency.

Lebanon has been without a president since Oct. 31, 2022, with MPs repeatedly failing to elect a successor to Michel Aoun. The Hezbollah-Amal tandem supports Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Marada Movement, for the presidency. 

Since Oct. 8, the day after the beginning of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza, Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily skirmishes along the Lebanese-Israeli border. 

Anti-Hezbollah Lebanese political parties, such as the Christian Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb party have been heavily criticizing Hezbollah's interference in the Gaza war.

"We will not accept any presidential compromise that conflicts with the national epic led by the resistance on the southern front, and any mistake in this regard will put the country at the bottom of the pit," Kabalan said in a speech delivered for the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. 

Kabalan added that "according to the National Pact, Lebanon is a country of partnership and that the Lebanese presidency should go through this partnership."

Regarding the murder of the head of the Lebanese Forces’ Jbeil district office Pascal Sleiman, Kabalan thanked the "Lebanese Army for protecting the country from a sedition that some were about to create." 

The Lebanese Army declared on Monday that Sleiman, who had been missing since his kidnapping the previous day, was killed by Syrian people during an attempted car burglary and his body taken to Syria.

Following the incident, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said that some accused Hezbollah for the murder and that "what happened was a major scandal for the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb party [who] have been looking for a civil war." 

Following the army's reports, Lebanese Forces supporters channeled their anger toward the Syrian population in Lebanon.

"Sectarianism is Lebanon's worst enemy and taking the country towards street strife, sectarianism and hatred is a recipe for disaster," Kabalan said.

The statements of this Mufti give an idea of the situation in which Lebanon finds itself.The country is under the control of Hezbollah and its mentor Iran.The Christian community is marginalized, its leaders assassinated or threatened.

The situation is not better for the Sunnis.