Democratic Palestine : 1 (ص 21)
غرض
- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 1 (ص 21)
- المحتوى
-
Besides beefing up US-Zionist
cooperation, the late November visits of
Shamir, Arens and then Amin Gemayel
to Washington, revealed the enemy
forces’ current approach to national
reconciliation in Lebanon. A month
earlier, the Geneva talks had resulted in
resolutions which reflected the gains of
the nationalist forces in the September
mountain war. The Lebanese fascists
and regime had_ conceded _ that:
Lebanon’s identity is Arab; the May 17th
agreement with ‘Israel’ is frozen; there is
need for reform in the Lebanese state
and society.
Afterwards, the enemy alliance set out
to reverse the results of this first round of
national reconciliation talks. One
loophole to be exploited was Gemayel’s
mandate to consult with those providing
troops to the Multinational Forces
(MNF), especially the US. The stated
aim was finding ways (other than the
May 17th agreement) to ensure Israeli
withdrawal from Lebanon. However,
once in Washington, Gemayel was keen
to reaffirm support to this agreement,
saying that he and Reagan had explored
“the best ways and means not merely to
implement the agreement, but going
beyond the letter of the law, to set up the
most appropriate mechanisms and
conditions for the achievement of our
common interests
objectives”. This signified official
Lebanese consent to the new imperialist-
Zionist plans and attacks against the
Lebanese nationalists, Syria and the
Palestinian revolution.
In fact, by the time Gemayel arrived in
Washington, the die. had already been
cast by the new US-Israeli agreements.
The US position on Lebanon mirrors its
stand on Namibia: Withdrawal is left up
to the Tel Aviv and Pretoria occupiers,
respectively, and is moreover linked to
the removal of troops supporting the
popular, nationalist forces (Syrian and
Cuban, respectively). The US-Israeli
discussions had focused on forcing Syria
to withdraw, and on ideas aired by Arens
about the possibility of future, partial
Israeli withdrawals, if these could be
coordinated with the Lebanese regime,
so as to meet Zionist ‘security’ demands.
(These ideas pertain only to the coastal
region and would leave Israeli troops
along the front lines with the nationalist
forces in the Beqaa Valley.)
Accordingly, Reagan pressed Gemayel
to increase coordination with ‘Israel’, so
that the Lebanese Army could move into
any area to be so evacuated.
Such an approach is obviously
unworkable. The September war, and
the continuing clashes between the
Lebanese Army and the _ nationalist
forces, show that the vast majority of
and policy|
Lebanon
Lebanese refuse this army in the absence
of political reforms. Moreover, the
Israelis themselves continue to sabotage
what remains of Lebanon’s legal
authority, as was again evidenced in
early November, when the remaining
Lebanese police and municipal officials
were evicted from occupied Saida’s city
hall.
The real reason for Reagan to wave
these hopes of Israeli withdrawal in front
of Gemayel’s nose is to activate the
Lebanese regime’s role in pressing for
Syrian withdrawal, and to push it into
new, direct talks with the Israeli
occupiers. This in effect nullifies the
other US advice to Gemayel: to broaden
the political base of his regime. Reagan’s
formula for national reconciliation is for
the regime to make some gestures at
power-sharing intended to coopt the
nationalist leadership. This should ease
the task of passifying the masses,
isolating Syria and breaking the broad
Lebanese _ nationalist-Palestinian
alliance. It is also within this framework
that the regime resumed high level
contacts with Syria, while imperialism
and Zionism made new military strikes
with the aim of intimidating Syria into
withdrawing its troops.
US imperialism’s prescriptions,
coupled with its continuing military
intervention, can only deepen the
Lebanese regime’s isolation. In reality,
the US regards Lebanese national
reconciliation as a political sideshow
used to divert from its real priorities:
converting Lebanon into a NATO base
and a gateway for spreading Camp
David. Thus, it is no surprise that the
second round of national reconciliation
talks have yet to be held. This meeting
should focus on reform in the Lebanese
state and society. This is an issue which
neither imperialism nor the Lebanese
fascists wish to tackle in any meaningful
way, for fulfilling the popular and
nationalist demands would rule out the
fascist hegemony considered pivotal for
implementing the enemy plans. Though
President Gemayel has _ started
consultations on forming a national unity
government, he has thus far only spoken
with members of the outdated and
always unrepresentative, confessional
parliament. He is still delaying
acceptance of Prime Minister Wazzan’s
resignation, which was a main demand
of the National Salvation Front and thus
a prelude to any _ national unity
government.
Escalating intervention
Typically, Reagan’s only concrete
move was promising Gemayel more US
aid to the Lebanese Army and the
formation of a US-Lebanese joint
military committee. All in all, it is not
surprising that the most decisive events
in Lebanon continue to be those in the
battlefield. While clashes continue,
pitting the Lebanese Army and fascists
against the nationalists in the Beirut and
mountain areas, imperialist intervention
escalated and became more systematic.
At a mid-November meeting of MNF
military leaders on a US warship off
Beirut’s coast, US commanders aired
plans for “massive and exemplary anti-
guerilla operations” (Livia Rokach, Al
Fajar, Nov. 25). This signalled heavier
Marine aggression on the southern
outskirts of Beirut. Marine statements
about limiting “retaliation” to spare
civilian casualties became a cruel joke in
view of their use of “beehives”, shells
that emit thousands of flying steel darts
(as documented by NBC on Dec. 2nd).
These anti-personnel weapons were
used in Vietnam. Now their destruction
is turned on the poor of southern Beirut.
Meanwhile, barrages from US warships
US A- 6 Intruder « downed oe an hie a 4th. - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 1
- تاريخ
- يناير ١٩٨٤
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
Contribute
Not viewed