Lebanon's Sectarian Fall
As the Syrian conflict continues to rage, tensions are on the rise between Lebanese Sunnis and Shiites as a result of their affiliations with divergent Syrian groups.
The Sunni community in Lebanon now has two leaders abroad, both of whom are waiting to come back, though no one knows when that will occur. The first is Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, who disappeared when the Lebanese army raided his security zone in the town of Abra, near the southern city of Sidon. The second is former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who made the decision to leave the country in 2011. Many say that this was the decision of Saudi Arabia, which feared for his life should he stay in Lebanon, given the current circumstances.
This reflects the crisis gripping the Sunni community in Lebanon, following some recent developments that have highlighted the unprecedented rise of Hezbollah, which is affiliated with the Syrian-Iranian axis.
Nevertheless, the problem of Lebanon’s Sunnis should be seen not only in light of their Shiite opponent, which has exhibited the features of becoming a regional power after its victory in the battle of Qusair in favor of the Syrian regime. During the past 10 years, Lebanese Sunni politicians have been suffering from structural problems, culminating in 2005 with the assassination of their wealthy and prominent leader former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The reign of Hariri was seen as the golden age of Lebanon, both politically and economically. Indeed, Hariri opened Lebanon to the Gulf economy, also known as the Arab-Sunni economy.
Moreover, Hariri took advantage of the Taif Agreement to consolidate the Sunni prime ministerial seat in Lebanon, and smooth the edges with their Shiite opponents, as well as the Maronites. He also forged alliances with some figures of the Syrian leadership, such as Abdel Halim Khaddam and Ghazi Kanaan, who were in charge of the Lebanese dossier in Syria. These Syrian figures remained cautious toward him despite the close dealings between the two sides.
