Yossi schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 10.01.5025
General Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian right winger and the Lebanese army commander who was elected president on Thursday, kept the Lebanese army on the sidelines during the war between Israel and Hezbollah; he is the darling of American and French imperialism. The imperialists support his declared intention to disarm Hezbollah.
He said, “I will work to ensure that the right to carry arms is exclusive to the state,” . “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.”[i]
He must thank Iran for winning the election after Lebanon had not had a president for two years. This victory reflects the shift in the balance of power in Lebanon. Iran’s pressure on Hezbollah to accept the ceasefire in favor of Israel weakened Hezbollah.
His policy is to deploy Lebanese in south Lebanon instead of Hezbollah. This will give Israel a powerful position in Lebanon.
“Christophe Lemoine, spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry, said that the result opened a new page for Lebanon, calling for Aoun’s election to be followed by the appointment of a strong government capable of carrying out reforms for “Lebanon’s economic recovery, stability, security and sovereignty.
US ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson attended Thursday’s session at the Lebanese parliament and other foreign envoys and said she was “pleased” about Aoun’s election.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Aoun on his election, according to Saudi state media.
Iran’s embassy in Beirut also welcomed Aoun’s election, stating on X that it was looking forward to working together and hoping “to cooperate in different fields in a way that serves the common interests of our countries” [ii]
His economic policy will attack the working class and the poor peasants’ living level:
“Aoun said one of his main priorities was repairing the destruction caused by “Israeli aggression” in southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the eastern Bekaa Valley during the war, which the World Bank estimates will cost $8.5bn (£6.9bn). He also promised to push through the political and economic reforms widely seen as necessary in a country affected by multiple crises” [iii]
Down with the imperialists and their servants!
The only solution is the Arab revolution!
Endnotes:
[i] https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-836900
[ii] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/9/lebanon-parliament-elects-army-chief-joseph-aoun-as-president
[iii] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxzxd32lzvo