By The Jerusalem Post (World News) | Created at 2025-01-10 03:50:05 | Updated at 2025-01-10 09:39:43
5 hours ago
Joseph Aoun's promise to assert state control over weapons could mark a turning point, but his ability to stand up to Hezbollah will determine Lebanon's path forward.
By JPOST EDITORIAL JANUARY 10, 2025 05:45
Demonstrators stand on a bridge decorated with a national flag during an anti-government protest along a highway in Jal el-Dib, Lebanon, October 21, 2019
(photo credit: MOHAMED AZAKIR / REUTERS)
Lebanese lawmakers elected army chief Joseph Aoun as head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who enjoys US approval and showing the diminished sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel.
“I will work to ensure that the right to carry arms is exclusive to the state,” Aoun said after his victory was announced. “I promise to reconstruct what Israel destroyed in the south and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
“We will work towards the best of relations with Arab countries,” he continued. “We have a historic opportunity to reestablish relations with Syria.”
In becoming president, a post reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon’s sectarian system, he will follow in the footsteps of other former army commanders who have assumed the post, including the last head of state Michel Aoun, who is of no relation.
Aoun’s election is a chance for a fresh start for Lebanon after years of domination by Hezbollah – the country has had no president since 2022 and, therefore, no counterbalance to Hezbollah’s influence.
There is also the hope that as a former army commander, he will be able to influence the implementation of the Lebanese Army’s control over the southern part of the country, part of the ceasefire terms signed between Israel and Hezbollah. The 60-day ceasefire is set to end on January 26.
Commitment to peace
If Aoun is committed to bringing peace to Lebanon and can stand up to Hezbollah, he could well steer Lebanon toward a stability it has not known for years, and reinforce the fragile truce.
Without a president, Lebanon cannot appoint a new prime minister, leaving it governed by a caretaker government and paralyzed at a moment when international support, including massive financial support, hinges on functional governance.
This financial support is more crucial now than even before the war since the reconstruction costs in Lebanon – in Beirut as well as in southern Lebanon – are staggering.
Some in Israel were quick to welcome Aoun’s election. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed Aoun’s election and expressed hope that Lebanon might see a better future under his leadership.
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“I congratulate Lebanon on electing a new president after a prolonged political crisis,” Sa’ar stated on social media. “I hope that the election will contribute to strengthening stability, a better future for Lebanon and its residents, and good neighborliness.”
Shortly after the message was posted, KAN News reported that National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told ministers not to address the appointment in any public statements. “The election of the president in Lebanon is an internal event and should not be addressed,” KAN quoted Hanegbi as saying.
Sa’ar message is the perfect way for Israel to begin the new presidency. Reaching out a hand and declaring a desire for stability, a better future for the Lebanese people, and, perhaps, even a chance to work together and work toward peace – something Israel and Lebanon have never had.
The Lebanese people did not start firing rockets at Israel’s citizens on October 8. They have not built tunnels or attacked military installations or bases. They have not snuck under the noses of the “ever-watchful eyes” of the United Nations to build a terror regime in southern Lebanon.
If the Lebanese people want peace, with their new president, and they are willing to throw off the shackles of Hezbollah’s rule of terror, Israel should be willing to talk.
Hezbollah has been decimated since it started attacking Israel. Its leader, Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated inside his war room deep underground. Exploding beepers, walkie-talkies, and pagers caused thousands of injuries to the group’s terrorists. This should prove to them that Israel can strike when it has to. The group is not what it was.
If, however, Aoun’s election is merely a return to the status quo – a figurehead president who cannot keep control of the reins of Hezbollah – then there will be little to be optimistic about.
This is his opportunity to show the Lebanese people, Hezbollah, Israel, and the wider world that he means business and is serious about improving the fortunes of his country.
For Lebanon, this is the chance for a fresh start.
