How much do you know about Lebanon?
In my review of a 2010 book about Lebanon entitled “Beware Of Small States”, I wrote:
“Lebanon has so often been the subject of intervention by other states, whether the rule of the Ottoman Empire until the end of the First World War, France in the mandate period from 1918-1943, the presence since 1948 of Palestinian refugees and until 1982 the PLO, the support for different militias by various states during the horrendously bitter civil war of 1975-1990, the presence of UNIFIL peacekeeping troops since 1978, the invasions by Israel in 1982-1985 and again in 2006, the support of Iran for the militia Hezbollah since 1985, and the constant interference, sometime occupation, and repeated political assassinations by neighbouring Syria.”
I visited Lebanon in 2011 and, in my account of the trip, I wrote:
“Lebanon was carved out of the Ottoman Empire and granted independence by the French in 1943. It is a tiny state: geographically around the size of Wales in the UK or Connecticut in the USA, with much of it mountainous. And it has a small population: only around 4 million (although there is a much larger Lebanese diaspora around the world). But religiously, it is one of the most complicated nations on earth.
Lebanon’s population is estimated to be almost 60% Muslim (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma’ilite, Alawite, or Nusayri) and almost 40% Christian (Syriac Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, or Protestant). Over the past 60 years, there has been a steady decline in the number of Christians as compared to Muslims, due to higher emigration rates among Christians and a higher birth rate among the Muslim population.”
Since the attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas on 7 October 2023, there has been growing tension between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah which this week has led to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) launching a ground invasion of its northern neighbour. The Middle East is now in a crisis of horrendous proportions.
Of course, the origin of the problem is the creation of Israel in 1948 and I support the right of Israel to exist. For a brief account of how this came about and how the crisis could in theory be resolved, see this book review.