Has Hezbollah defeated France in Lebanon?

A month and a half after a massive explosion in Beirut triggered a crisis in Lebanon that brought down the government, France’s decision to try to push through reforms may have been defeated. Regional media from the United Arab Emirates to Turkey focus on what could happen in Lebanon. Lebanon’s prime minister-designate, Mustapha Adib, resigned, according to Anadolu. French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a press conference on Sunday to discuss the situation. Lebanese analysts quoted in Al-Ain said Lebanon could be headed for “chaos” as Hezbollah and the Amal movement prevented the creation of a new government. France has tried to mediate in Lebanon, with French President Macron playing a key role. This even included meetings with Hezbollah members of the Lebanese parliament. Now, political parties and sectarian elites entrenched in Lebanon appear to have tried to thwart France’s attempts at reform. It appears that Hezbollah and Amal had sought to obtain the Ministry of Finance as part of the reform. This would put Iran at the helm of Lebanon’s key ministry. Lebanon already needs $ 93 billion to emerge from a financial crisis. Iran has used Lebanon for money laundering and other fraudulent transactions in the past. France had wanted to reduce the sectarian character of the government, but in Lebanon many ministries are divided as the spoils of various groups. Hezbollah has increased its influence in recent years, even though it only has a handful of members of parliament. He has sought to take over the Ministry of Health and other positions. He also has an ally in the President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun. The President of Lebanon is a Christian and the Prime Minister is Sunni according to the agreement that governs Lebanon as a sectarian state. This agreement dates back decades and was also enshrined in the Taif accords that ended the civil war and empowered the Sunni prime minister with the backing of Saudi Arabia. But Saudi Arabia has lost influence in Lebanon in recent years, and Iran and Turkey are now trying to increase their influence and control. That is why the UAE media is concerned about the chaos in the country. Chaos fuels the role of Iran. Anadolu in Turkey noted that Adib had given up on the inability to form a government. “I excuse myself from continuing the task of forming the government,” Adib said. Adib, a former ambassador to Germany, had accepted the task of forming a new government in late August after his predecessor Hassan Diab resigned. Saad Hariri said that “those who rejoice at the fall of the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron will bite their fingers in regret for missing a rare opportunity to stop the economic collapse and initiate reforms.” Hariri is a former prime minister and also the son of Rafic Hariri, the former prime minister assassinated by Hezbollah in 2005. Lebanon is at a crossroads. The United States has pushed for mediation in the Israeli-Lebanese maritime disputes. Hezbollah has tried to take advantage of anti-American sentiment. The United States removed a Lebanese-American from the country earlier this year and Hezbollah has criticized the US ambassador for interference in the country. Hezbollah has suggested that China could invest in Lebanon. France has now tried to play a bigger role. France is the former colonial power. The United States sanctioned former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, who is a member of Amal, in early September. This seems to have also played a role in stagnation. In some ways, the current dispute over Lebanon could be seen as a quest for influence between Iran, the United States, Turkey, and France.