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Source: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/06/how-hezbollah-holds-sway-over-lebanese-state
How Hizbullah Holds Sway over the Lebanese State
(Chatham House-UK) Dr. Lina Khatib - Hizbullah has become the most influential political organization in Lebanon, but is able to operate without the accountability required of a state institution and without full responsibility to the Lebanese people. Hizbullah's power is not achieved through sheer coercion; it has consolidated control through elite pacts and by taking advantage of weaknesses in the Lebanese state system. As long as the current political system in Lebanon exists, it will not be possible to loosen Hizbullah's hold over the Lebanese state. Hizbullah has de facto control over Lebanon's border with Syria. It uses the Port of Beirut to transport drugs, weapons and explosive material both in and out of Lebanon without any state oversight. The writer is Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.