Lebanon’s message to the Arab Summit

The Arab Summit may have ended, but its repercussions are just beginning.

The participation of Lebanon in the summit received extra attention, after a controversial letter was sent by five former presidents and prime ministers.

The surprise letter focused on areas such as the withdrawal of illegal weapons from Lebanon, adherence to the Taif Agreement, and the commitment to international resolutions like UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The letter was signed by former Presidents Michel Suleiman and Amine Gemayel, along with former Prime Ministers Najib Mikati, Tammam Salam and Fouad Siniora.

Although the Arab Summit largely ignored the message, it had wide repercussions, and caused great concern among Hezbollah and its allies.

The message reflected a fear of a new era. This fear is based on previous negative experiences regarding the positions of Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil at previous Arab conferences. It also reflects concern over the positions of President Michel Aoun, who granted legitimacy to Hezbollah in an interview in Egypt just a few weeks ago. From this perspective the letter seemed skeptical of the intentions and the role of the president.

It is true that the letter was politically embarrassing and that its timing caused confusion. It did, however, reflect the reality in terms of the division over the main issues in Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah’s weapons and Lebanon’s relations with its neighbors. The harsh attack on the five former leaders’ letter is only a confirmation of this.

The letter marks a new testament to the disintegrated situation in Lebanon and the inability to achieve a normal political situation in the presence of an armed party that is prepared and able to deploy forces.

The real implications of the letter and its message will emerge over the coming days, especially in relation to the debate over Lebanon’s new electoral law.

Some say the letter was mishandled and the issue has become engulfed by rumors about its content. But its signatories insist they were aiming to clarify Lebanon’s position and save it from conflict.

•  Diana Moukalled is a veteran journalist with extensive experience in both traditional and new media. She is also a columnist and freelance documentary producer. She can be reached on Twitter @dianamoukalled.