Wednesday 15 July 2009

Samir Sabbagh - No Arabism with "Lebanon First" and no Lebanon with a Surrendering Arabism

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By Adib Kawar • Jul 14th, 2009 at 20:18 • Category: Analysis, Israel, Middle East Issues, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Zionism

translated from Arabic by ADIB S KAWAR

Does the idea of “Lebanon first” mean distancing from Arabism? Isn’t it for up leveling sovereignty and independence? Is it innocent from the accusation of seclusion? Isn’t it distancing itself from the Arab neighborhood to concentrate on internal matters as per the demands of the “international will” … Or it is a precious opportunity to give up and adopting the policy of incompetence, make of Lebanon an island crossing burning regional borders, residing in the quite homeland of moderation and quiets ubordination? Here is a trial for a reply.


No Lebanon without Arabism, and we are apt to say no Arabism without Lebanon, As we see and observe some Arab regimes are giving up open Arabism, civilized striving against all forms of imperialism and Zionism and their projects, and we see that they are exploiting Arabism to cover up their submissive policies. Lebanon that is inveterate in its Arabism and ever and eternally holds fast to it, it is his destiny to carry it on his shoulders (and today he could be alone) The Palestinian cause is the Arab’s first cause throughout long decades in confrontation with a racist expansionist entity. His nature requires that Arabism is the protector of his structure, interests, people’s unity and stability is to remain its twin stuck with Arabism to preserve his immutable patriotic aims in independence. Sovereignty and stability. Today the motto of “Lebanon First” is being raised, which and adopted by the largest parliamentary coalition. This is a new/old motto. “Israel” was the first to invent it and designate it by announcing “Jericho First” then “Gaza First” then “Jordan First” and now Egypt is practicing it even though d1idn’t officially adopt it, but it failed totally as it aims at toppling the basic legal and lawful Palestinian Arab people’s demands and abort them. Here in Lebanon “The Lebanese Front” and “Al-Kataeb Party” were the first to work hard to reach this motto, and under its informatory media today political forces gather up, which sounds as if saying that the adventurous projects in Lebanon throughout three generations lead by ‘Al-Kataeb” under the leadership starting with Bashir Al-Jemayel down to the new fascist, Sami Al-Jemayel, as all those who are now trying to polish their images and present themselves as heroes for the return to the old adventures, were right as all the country’s tragedies resulted from the adoption of a part of the Lebanese the requirements of Arabism and its commitments. It is important to point out that those who were in the front lines of defending Arabism and its causes, are now desperate in their self-criticism for their stances in its defense. Practically the “Lebanon First” coalition does not emerge now after quarter of a century with its ideas and mentality from the “Kataeb” ideology.

The “Lebanon First” idea doesn’t mean in depth distancing from Arabism and its just causes in spite what the two “Samirs”, Samir Jaajaa and Samir Al-Jisr, as being is not the case. And it is not as those who launched it as being a transmission of the Lebanese state’s and Lebanese’s concerns towards internal matters, as everything of any internal interest is in contact with Arabism and its causes. “Lebanon First” actually moves Lebanon from its wide open Arab horizons to draw it back to a position of seclusion and isolation, and ally it with those adopting narrow back allies politics, also to the high waves of religious sectarianism and its quarrels. With such a trend of action Lebanon contradicts its deep rooted Arab nature and belonging. This motto is what relieves Lebanon’s Zionist enemy, as simply the existence of the racist expansionist Zionist entity on his border is an existential threat to Lebanon and its political and economical interests; so how could a politician distance himself from feeling this threat and be always on the alert to confront it with a course working at the end of the day to adopt another position in the Arab Zionist confrontation. It is a course meaning siding with American/Zionist projects to liquidate the central Arab cause, Palestine, is working hard for creating forces that supports it, and to act with the logic of the victor and preponderant that imposes his conditions, (for example the visits of four U.S. high ranking delegates within six months or little bit more, and to make of terrorism as equivalent to resistance, and to continue on betting on changing the Lebanese army ideology (An ideology of resistance to the Zionist entity) and request it to remain neutralism in the regional conflict that is the highest stance that the official Lebanese policy could take. This too would prepare the needed ground work for returning Lebanese policy required for crossing out the Right of Return of Palestinian refugees to their land and homes, either by settling them where they are or by expulsion. And if there is a unanimous objection for the idea of settling that the Lebanese constitution states on confronting opposing it; so adhering with the “Arab moderation”, which is willing to follow fast into the path of surrender and negotiations (even the Arab initiative), and cross out the Right of Return shall make the idea of settling and expulsion and idea that is possible to negotiate even an idea that is not rejected, an idea that requires Lebanon to be without cover or protection, when facing the outer world and thus be subjugated to its imposed projects on the Arab nation to insure the security and interests of the Zionist entity.

On the other hand the economical course for “Lebanon First” is its established foundation, especially privatization, which became a major title for this trend of thought titles, which is emerged in a sea of pressures and impositions to fulfill the conditions of international economic and financial establishments (The International Monetary Fund, The World Bank and Paris 1 & 2 as privatization was a condition for the program and still it is an international title adopted in previous stages and by many countries). While matters have changed especially after the breakout of the international economical crisis and destruction of the savage capitalism tiles changed and its uselessness was exposed in saving the national economy. But in spite of that some in Lebanon still work to impose these projects in order to control and blunder the country’s wealth in addition to open the gates wide for foreign establishments and companies to liquidate the public sector. Privatization includes “Social Security”, Electricity, cellular telephone companies and other basic public utilities, and of course their damaging effects reflect on the Lebanese political, economical and social conditions of the country. As these conditions found those who fight to support and impose them, they found who would feel their dangers on the Lebanese political and economical life and strongly reject them. Those who adopt it try to perform plastic surgery to beautify them and try to convince people of their advantages, while actually they are destroying the public sector, which is the permanent and most important foundation for a strong and just state that the Lebanese look for.

The Arab nationalist and patriotic forces are requested today to expose the political background for “Lebanon First” adventure, which contradicts Lebanon’s Arab nature and leads to his destruction and destabilization, which is in contradiction to the just aims of the Lebanese. They are requested to explain to the Lebanese that there is no conflict between Arabism and Lebanon as an entity, and are also requested to adopt a program based on two golden basis: Arabism is above all and replacing the old economical course with a new economy.

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Adib Kawar is a writer, researcher, translator Arab and/Palestinian and Zionist affairs - Hobby painter. Bachelor of Arts, American University of Beirut 1954. Was born in Nazareth - Palestine, residing in Beirut - Lebanon. Retired ex-Manager of an industry and marketing. من مواليد الناصرة فلسطين، مقيم في بيروت - لبنان. خريج الجامعة الأمريكية في بيروت 1954 المهنة سابقا - مدير مؤسسة صناعية وتسويق، متقاعد حاليا. كاتب، باحث، مترجم متخصص في القضية الفلسطينية والصهيونية، الهواية الرسم المؤلفات: "شكل الدولة العربية العتيدة"، "المرأة اليهودية في فلسطين المحتلة"، "الدعاية الصهيونية في الرواية الأمريكية" (عربي و إنجليزي) "شهادات لمقتلعين فلسطينيين) و "التعليم الفلسطيني تحت الاحتلالين"

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