The Fifth Day of the Aggression

Circular of the Political Bureau of the Lebanese Communist Party on Current Developments for Party Organizations and Friends

On Current Developments: The Fifth Day of the Aggression

Since the start of the aggression, our party has defined its position and stance as being at the head of those opposing with all possible means the aggression and the expected invasion.  This aggression is a part of the Zionist-American plan for the region and is furthermore an act of aggression undertaken with international permission and cover, in particular that of the United States of America, which is using the Security Council and the United Nations as tools with which to exert pressure and control.  The aggression also bases itself on compliance and collusion by official Arab regimes and takes advantage of the current atmosphere of political division inside Lebanon.

The aggression is continuing and expanding to cover several regions.  It focuses particularly on the infrastructure and on inflicting human and civilian losses and igniting fires in many places, aiming thereby to apply psychological pressure on the resistance on the one hand, and to try to raise the volume of criticism and objection to the resistance on the other.  This approach takes advantage of the general political atmosphere and of the stances taken by some of those in authority and by some political forces.  The material losses are great, as are the human losses.  Despite that, there is steadfastness, particularly in the south.

Despite the steadfastness — that has so far been seen in the strike on the Zionist warship off Beirut, the attacks on the cities and villages of Galilee, and the infliction of human losses in the ranks of the enemy, causing Israel to fail to achieve sensitive military goals that would have raised the morale of its population and army — despite all this there is an international effort involving the United Nations, Europe, and France under US pressure aimed at securing political benefits from the aggression, such as the implementation of UN Resolution 1559, by holding negotiations and carrying out Israeli and international stipulations under the cover of the continued military operations.

In the event that this effort fails — and we believe that it will fail because of the high ceiling of conditions set by the Americans and Israelis, in particular their requirement that Hizballah must be broken up and its role completely ended, which is their first step towards delivering a defeat or at least a major blow to the Syrian-Iranian axis — so far it appears that if an agreement on a cease-fire is reached that would be in the interests of the resistance and would be a type of defeat for Israel, which cannot now bear such a thing.  Therefore, we believe that the military operation will be relatively prolonged and could spread outside Lebanon’s borders, in which case we would be faced with wholly different developments and trajectories that cannot now be predicted.

In any case, after 12 July, the country has entered a whole new stage, the direction of which will emerge in the light of the outcome of the fighting.  In case the resistance continues to be steadfast and Israel fails to achieve its aims, the country will enter a new equilibrium in which the side linked with the Syrian-Iranian axis will be in the position of greater strength, and Syria and Iran will once again have greater influence on political developments in Lebanon, while the other side shrinks back.  In case the opposite occurs, the battle will be transformed into an internal struggle on the premise that the reason for such a Lebanese defeat would be the position of the internal enemy — something that would impel the country towards a new civil war as struggle erupts among sectarian groups trying to improve their shares of the confessional political system which would have been upset as a result of the results of the war and the attempts of certain sectarian groups inside the country to benefit from a Lebanese defeat.

On the basis of this assessment and in the interests of safeguarding our country, we believe that the fundamental task is to confront the aggression with a comprehensive, cohesive patriotic stance, a stance that reinforces national unity.  As a part of this, the Lebanese authorities must not make any political concessions to the current and direct international pressures, while not hesitating to carry out rescue and aid operations.  That is for their part.  At the same time, other internal political forces must refrain from advancing certain issues that the aggressor and his allies use for their benefit.  They must direct political rhetoric at reinforcing steadfastness and resistance and frustrating the aims of the enemy.  The steadfastness and resistance of the Lebanese people can change the balance of forces, and we propose the convening of a national meeting under this slogan.

This is the primary task that the leadership of the party has been working to realize and for which a series of political contacts have taken place: among Nabih Berri, Michel Aoun, the Progressive Socialist Party, Bahiya al-Hariri, and Salim al-Hoss.

The Party has also taken part in some of the meetings that were held on the initiative of other parties — al-Hoss, for example.  It also has contacts for the sake of solidarity with political parties and forces outside the country.  Solidarity declarations have been issued and actions have been organized in Greece, France, Bahrain, Canada, India, Italy, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, and Britain.

Party organizations in the South are taking part, within their capabilities, in strengthening steadfastness and resistance.

The Party is taking part in a campaign to bring aid via political and private organizations, in Beirut and the districts.

What is needed now:

  • To confront the aggression with all available means.
  • To increase the intensity of internal political work through activities, in particular in the areas not under threat.
  • To take part everywhere in the campaign to provide all appropriate and suitable forms of aid.
  • To intensify political work in the Party through general meetings and gatherings.
  • To have a fundraising campaign to support the steadfastness of our organizations and to cover the requirements of work.

The Political Bureau of the Lebanese Communist Party

Beirut, 17 July 2006


The original text in Arabic is available at the Web site of the Lebanese Communist Party.  Translation by Muhammad Abu Nasr.