Increasing Tension Between Syria and Lebanon

Introduction

Syrian-Lebanese relations have recently been strained. Two factors have contributed to increased Syrian apprehension regarding the policies of the new Lebanese government: the win, by anti-Syrian elements, of a majority of the seats in the Lebanese parliament, and these elements' increasing power in the new Lebanese government.

In response, Syria has pressured Lebanon with a number of measures: delaying Lebanese trucks at border crossings, calling it an operation to prevent arms being smuggled from Lebanon to Syria; arresting several Lebanese fishermen for allegedly entering Syria's territorial waters; and issuing an official statementthat Syria would demand compensation from Lebanon for the murder of 37 Syrian laborers in Lebanon following Rafiq Al-Hariri's assassination. In addition, Syria has deported dozens of illegal Lebanese workers. [1]

Syrian-Lebanese tension was also reflected in an exchange of accusations in the media of each country. Syria 's government press has accused the Lebanese of ingratitude and of conveniently forgetting Syria 's sacrifices for them over the past three decades. It also attacked the policy of the new Lebanese leadership, claiming that it was heeding the counsel of the U.S. administration, particularly with regard to disarming Hizbullah. It even accused the Lebanese government of encouraging the Syrian opposition.

The Lebanese press countered that Syria must accept the fact that Lebanon is a sovereign state, and that it must apologize to Lebanon for material damage and damage to the morale of the Lebanese people that it caused. Lebanese columnists have also warned of possible further bloodshed, similar to Al-Hariri's assassination, as a result of the increase in tension.

It should be noted that the strain eased somewhat following a July 31, 2005 Damascus meeting of new Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji 'Atari. At this meeting, the two sides decided to mutually promote good relations between the countries. Nevertheless, not all the causes of tension have been resolved. Further, it is still being argued in the Syrian press that "there are some Lebanese who want to cut off the historically brotherly relations that have always connected the two countries and two peoples." [2]

Criticism of Lebanon in the Syrian Press

A. On the Demand to Disarm Hizbullah

Syrian government press accused Lebanon 's new leadership of espousing U.S. policy, particularly the U.S. position on disarming Hizbullah.

An article in the government daily Teshreen read: "The leaders of the [Lebanese] rabble, based on 'hatred' for Syria and denial of everything it has done in recent years – [a sentiment] which prompted them to adopt [international] proposals and plans – have [now] attained [positions in] the [Lebanese]government and parliament… [Today] they are using the known media platforms not only to cause damage to Syria, but [also] to declare a transition to America 's Greater Middle East plan.

"This matter became concrete with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit [to Lebanon]... This political 'chorus' listened to Rice's counsel and cheered at the redeeming recommendations and the anticipated alliance with the American redeemer. The priorities of this ally immediately became clear, and among them was putting an end to the national resistance [i.e. Hizbullah] as a 'reinforcement' of Lebanese sovereignty…" [3]

Following the pardon of Samir Geagea, commander of the Lebanese Forces, and his release from a Lebanese prison after 11 years of incarceration, the Syrian daily Teshreen published an article attacking the new Lebanese parliament for approving his release: [4] "Samir Geagea... was released from prison so that his release could be added to the list of Lebanese achievements... This was a dictum of the 'new era'. [The Lebanese] claimed that 'they were turning over a [new] leaf of national reconciliation and erasing the past.' It appears that this leaf is turned over in Lebanon from time to time in order to release [foreign] agents and let them go free… This is [the nature of] Lebanese reconciliation… in which the standards of the legal [system] become so ambiguous that it releases a commander of the Lebanese war militia who caused the greatest horror and bloodshed. They [are even] daring to offer a pardon for members of Antoine Lahad's militias – Israel 's most [notorious] agents. At the same time, Lebanese groups, encouraged by external [powers], are insisting on disarming Hizbullah, the liberator and the defeater of Israel in the South... [5]

B. Claims that Lebanon Is a Center of Conspiracy against Syria

The political editor of the Syrian government daily Al-Ba'th accused the Lebanese leadership of permitting the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned in Syria, to meet in Lebanon: "…How can we believe or think that Lebanon is not a center of conspiracy against Syria when we know that some time ago, the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood met in Beirut, in full view of high ranking Lebanese officials…

"The announcement [declaring the policy of] the new Lebanese government includes several well-formulated expressions and phrases on [maintaining] cooperation and excellent relations [with Syria], but they clearly constitute backpedaling from the statements and relations of the previous era.

"Perhaps all this will prompt... those who are worried about the future of the relations between the two peoples and the two countries to ask themselves… how the Lebanese PM's desire to [warm up] relations with Syria jibes with the daily attacks on Syria in the news broadcasts, the newspapers, and the media of Al-Mustaqbal – the stream to which he himself belongs?!" [6]

C. The Syrian Call to Cancel Economic Agreements with Lebanon and the Demand for Compensation for the Murder of Syrians in Lebanon

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Wadhah Abd Rabbou, editor of the Syrian economic weekly Al-Iqtisadiyya, wrote under the title "Canceling the Agreements Signed with Lebanon is a Popular Syrian Demand, Not a Lebanese Demand… The Syrians Have Spent Billions in Lebanon, and the Time has Come to Stem the Tide." The article, later quotedin the Lebanese daily Al-Mustaqbal, stated that the truck-detaining measures at the border "have worried some Lebanese politicians, especially the political heir of the late Rafiq Al-Hariri - his son Sa'ad. This neophyte-in-tow [suggested using]Lebanese airports and ports [as] an alternative to conveying goods via Syria … What is Sa'ad Al-Hariri waiting for to implement these alternatives? He has inherited billions of dollars from his father, and he has all the support he needs from Paris, Washington, and Riyadh." [7]

Abd Rabbou added: "The curses and commentary that we hear and read [from Lebanon] are enough to make us be the first to demand cancellation of the agreements signed with Lebanon, which have not benefitted Syria for even a single day… We encourage Sa'ad [Al-Hariri] and his associates to move ahead in the search for alternative solutions that will rid Syria of the crossing of the Lebanese trucks. We will support him in every decision in this direction."

With regard to the 37 Syrian laborers murdered in Lebanon, Abd Rabbou wrote: "The Syrian people demands first of all the arrest, trial, and execution of anyone who killed a Syrian laborer, as well as compensation for [other] laborers to who were harmed… The Lebanese government can use the help of an international investigative committee, either Arab or Syrian, in order to expose the murderers and the crimes against the Syrian laborers, and expose the truth… The Syrian laborers murdered in Lebanon are no less important than Rafiq Al-Hariri, his associates, and all those murdered in Lebanon." [8]

D. On Lebanese Ingratitude

In an editorial in the Syrian government daily Al-Ba'th, titled "Perhaps an Apology Is Not Enough!!!" editor Elias Murad wrote: "...It is true that there are difficulties at the borders, but which of the two is more difficult – waiting [at the border] for hours, or even days, or the sight of murder and bombs spreading through this country or another?…

"I do not wish to elaborate on the instinctive [Lebanese] resentment towards Syria and the Syrians, whether in some of the media or among some of the politicians… But everyone should know the sentiment of the citizen in the Syrian street… While we call [to preserve] the best possible relations with the Lebanese people and its leadership, we also call to oppose contact or meetings with any of those who have incited, cursed, or harmed Syria, its people, and its leadership. We consider these people objectionable, and ifproperconductor political needs necessitate relations with them, then they should, at the very least, apologize to the Syrian people and its leadership, because the [Syrian] people has paid in money, blood, and effort to keep Lebanon united." [9]

Lebanese Responses

A. Syria Must Apologize to the Lebanese and Recognize Their Independence

In response to Elias Murad'seditorial in Al-Ba'th, 'Ali Hamada wrote in the Lebanese daily Al-Nahar that it was the Syrian regime that should apologize – for the damage it caused to both the Syrian and the Lebanese peoples: "The new media onslaught by the Syrian regime against the free [elements] in Lebanon is reminiscent of the attack in the Syrian Ba'th papers that preceded the murder of Rafiq Al-Hariri. We hope that the criticism of the [Syrian] brothers will not spill over from the media [and turn] into blood[shed] this time as well!

"To the media of the [Al-B'ath] party, we reiterate that the problem of the Lebanese is not with Syria or with the Syrians, but with the behavior of the Syrian regime in Lebanon. … We are opposed to the continuing [Syrian]involvement in our affairs and in the national choices we make. We are [also] opposed to the logic of implementing a coercive and violent [Syrian]policy on Lebanese soil in order to continue controlling the lives of the Lebanese and [in order to] use their country as an arena for settling Syria's accounts with the entire world…

"The top [Syrian] officials must look at [Syrian-Lebanese] relations from a vantage point that accepts the existence of an independent Lebanon … They must realize that we will not retreat even if [they] set [our] country on fire, as one of these leaders threatened [to do] several months ago.We have no choice but to address the Syrian Ba'th media – which is demanding that we apologize, [saying]'even this will not be enough!' – [and tell them that] a people struggling for its true independence, bearing the torch of freedom and national honor, is a people that will not apologize for its opposition to continued [Syrian]custodianship, control, plundering, murder, and intimidation!

"We demand that those responsible for the policy in Lebanon over the past 15 years apologize to both peoples, Lebanese and Syrian, for everything they did to cause so much harm to the relations between the two countries and the two peoples!" [10]

B. Lebanese MP Submits a Demand for Compensation from Syria

Jubran Tweini, Lebanese MP and director-general of the Al-Nahar daily, wrote: "In response to Syrian Minister of Social Affairs Diyala Haj 'Aref, who claimed [at a July 21, 2005 press conference] that Syria would demand compensation for the murder of the Syrian laborers in Lebanon… we say that we will agree to this demand on condition that Lebanon, for its part, be compensated by Syria for [those who] died, were wounded or were abducted as a result of the Syrian shelling of some Lebanese regions… [Lebanon] should also [receive] compensation from Syria for all the material damages caused as a result of the Syrian military's takeover of private Lebanese property, and for the destruction of private property during military and security operations.

"The list of [our] demands [from Syria] is long, and includes compensation to the Lebanese who were murdered, beaten, abducted, arrested, and humiliated by the Syrian army and intelligence, as well as to those Lebanese who were forced to emigrate and flee from the [Syrian] custodian regime that usurped their liberties...

"…We will not succeed in exposing the facts about the economic and financial profits that Syria gained at [Lebanon 's] expense. We have no need to mention what has [already] been said and written regarding [Syria's] smuggling operations, protection of drug crops, car theft, money laundering, and extortion of protection money." [11]

* Hanna Avraham is a Research Fellow at MEMRI.