For some considerable time I have been receiving appeals and information from a 'Free Lebanon' organization.

Bravely facing the unspoken and unchallenged brutality of a Syrian occupation of their country, they have reached out to anyone who cares to hear their voice - even to an Israeli.

They, more than anyone, appreciated that Israel's invasion of Lebanon in the 80's, was meant to drive out Arafat's P.L.O. supported by the Syrian regime. The Palestinians were gradually sowing insurgency and violence in Lebanon, as they had done in Jordan before King Hussein threw them out during their Black September.

Then, as a soldier in the I.D.F., I saw the strength and depth in which Syria was controlling Lebanese destiny.

A recent token withdrawal of Syrian troops was more than compensated (Baathist style) by an intensive Syrian support for Hezbollah. Hence, we in Israel were treated to increasing TV appearances of the smirking Sheikh Nasrallah who, like a turbaned godfather, held the fate both of Israel and Lebanon in his hands, hands that are greased with Syrian baksheesh.

And while Syria was stoking the fires both in Lebanon, Israel, and also Iraq, they were treated like honored residents in the home of the United Nations, and their leader, Bashir Assad, was being welcomed by Western leaders, such as Tony Blair. They chaired the Security Council as a matter of routine. They are, believe it or not, a member of the U.N. Human Rights Committee. It seemed that only Israel and the United States noticed that the major terror organisations had their headquarters in Damascus, and that the Syrian regime was sponsoring Middle Eastern terror.

Rafiq Hariri was the one Lebanese leader capable of bringing stability to the region and prosperity to Lebanon. Increasingly, he was prepared to speak out against the Syrian occupation of his country. This was to have been the cornerstone of his agenda in the upcoming Lebanese elections. That is the reason why Syria gave Hezbollah the explosives and the green light to kill him. They hoped to kill the hopes and aspirations of those that stand for a free Lebanon. They have a brutal track record of assasinations in Lebanon. In 1977, they assasinated the Druse leader, Kamal Jumblat, because they opposed his desire to lead his people to an independent and soverign Lebanon. Five years later they killed the charismatic Maronite, Basheer Gemayyel, a proud nationalist who had been elected Lebanon's president. In 1991 the world again turned the other way when the Syrians cruelly put down the march of Lebanon to be free and independent when they crushed the revolt led by Michel Aoun. Now, the murder of Hariri, and nineteen others, must become the nail in the coffin of Syria's occupation of Lebanon.

Perhaps now the world will stand by the side of the majority of Lebanese. Perhaps now the Lebanese will find true and active international support to oppose the ongoing Syrian stranglehold. Until the brutal, terror supporting, Syrian occupation ends, there will never be an independent Lebanon. This, surely, will be another step on the road to peace and stability in the region.

The View from Here
Netanya, Israel