Rebellious Bekaa: Shiite clans begin to challenge Hezbollah | Analysis

i24NEWS commentator Baruch Yedid reports on initial contacts between Shiite clans in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon to establish a 'Union of Clans and Families,' aiming to form a unified stance against Hezbollah's policies. The report, based on sources in 'Al-Hadath,' indicates discussions on concentrating weapons in the hands of the Lebanese army and state sovereignty, as well as a desire to remove the Shiite community from the 'circle of hostility' towards the rest of Lebanese society and Arab states. The author analyzes the potential implications for Hezbollah's hegemony.

i24NEWS Arab affairs commentator Baruch Yedid analyzes initial reports of Shiite clan organizing in the Bekaa Valley against Hezbollah. According to a report by 'Al-Hadath,' large clans and families in Baalbek-Hermel have begun contacts to establish a 'Union of Clans and Families,' aiming to form a unified stance against Hezbollah's policies. The contacts have also expanded to the Western Bekaa and northern Lebanon. The central message, according to sources, is a demand to concentrate weapons in the hands of the Lebanese army, for state sovereignty, and to remove the Shiite community from the 'circle of hostility' towards the rest of Lebanese society and Arab states. The author notes that Shiite clans are not a new phenomenon, and Hezbollah has never completely eliminated local power centers. The current development is attributed to a feeling that Hezbollah no longer provides protection and benefits as before, and that its policies have dragged the community into deep conflicts. A new factor in the equation is Syria, whose border has become a focus of tension. The author emphasizes that this is an initial stage, but the very shift from private grievances to an attempt to establish a common framework and formulate a public stance is a significant development that may erode Hezbollah's power from within.