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Lebanese Army Infiltrated by Hizbullah Loyalists

(Israel Hayom) Shachar Kleiman - A new report by the Alma Research and Education Center warns of the increasing "Shiitization" and cooperation with Hizbullah by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed in southern Lebanon, raising questions about the force's ability to enforce the ceasefire agreement. Maj. (res.) Tal Beeri, head of the research department at the Alma Center, says Lebanese President Joseph "Aoun says what the Americans want him to say, but in the end there is reality, and unfortunately right now it shows other things. I don't see that the LAF is not trying in some part to do its job, but in the end, there are processes and figures that cause it to be unable to perform its tasks." There is a trend of Shiitization in the LAF, in light of the cessation of mandatory conscription and natural demographic changes in the population, with a downward trend in the recruitment of young Christians and an upward trend of young Shiites. There may already be a Shiite majority in the LAF. "Commanders, officers, and other soldiers, mainly Shiites, are cooperating with Hizbullah, and allowing it to operate freely and bypass international agreements, for example, [UN Resolution] 1701." The Shiitization of the LAF neutralizes its ability to serve as a counterweight to the pro-Iranian Hizbullah. "The family ties between Hizbullah operatives and LAF soldiers increase the likelihood that Hizbullah will exploit the LAF, especially in southern Lebanon, as a supporting platform, human shield, or even as a direct proxy force. This situation also facilitates the leakage of Western military knowledge and weapons to Hizbullah." If the trend of Shiitization is not curbed, the LAF will eventually become, "at least in part, a proxy force of Hizbullah, or even merging with its military forces." In the past two decades, the U.S. has provided the LAF with aid worth $3 billion, including Humvees, armored personnel carriers, cannons, light drones, helicopters, light aircraft with attack capabilities, anti-tank missiles and launchers. Some Western equipment and weapons, including anti-tank missiles and surveillance equipment, have leaked to Hizbullah in the past and may continue to leak in the future. "The assumption of the supporters of the LAF in the West that it can serve as a counterweight to Hizbullah is fundamentally mistaken. The assumption ignores the...cooperation of the LAF with Hizbullah during the last 18 years."
2025-03-04 00:00:00
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