The Army, People and the Resistance: Contentious politics of relations between the Lebanese state and Hezbollah
Abstract
This paper elaborates on the relations between the state and non-state security providers in Lebanon and puts this issue into the perspective of the longer political processes in Lebanon and relations between 'the state', Hezbollah and its domestic and international opponents. It reviews long-term debates and struggles over the role of the Shiite movement's armed wing vis-a-vis the state and then turn to the recent issues connected to Hezbollah's role in Lebanon, in particular with regard to its role in Syria, Lebanese national security and the current situation on the border with Israel.
As the paper highlights, Hezbollah's role in Lebanon should not be viewed outside of the internal Lebanese political arrangement, yet its increasing dominance in Lebanese politics poses distinct challenges for Lebanon in the form of sectarian tensions and the form of potential conflict with Israel.