Retired Lebanese Judge Peter Germanos: Lebanon Is Under Iranian Occupation; Hizbullah Has Effectively Partitioned Lebanon

Retired Lebanese judge Peter Germanos, the former Government Commissioner to the Military Court, said in an April 3, 2022 interview on MTV (Lebanon) that UNSC Resolution 1559, which calls for the disbandment and disarmament of Lebanese militias, should be implemented in the areas of Lebanon where it is possible. He explained that he is not calling for the partitioning of Lebanon, but that it has already been effectively partitioned and turned into a federation by Hizbullah, which provides security, electricity, schools, and hospitals in the areas under its control. In addition, he said that Iranian influence in Lebanon is worse than Syrian influence and that it is "the worst thing that Lebanon has ever seen." He elaborated that Iran has sown destruction throughout the Arab world and said that Saudi Arabia is the "first line of defense against the Iranian expansion in the region." Moreover, Germanos said that 20% of Shiites in Lebanon oppose the Hizbullah-Amal bloc and Iran, and as a consequence suffer persecution, are silenced, are framed by the legal system, cannot work, and are sometimes killed.

Peter Germanos: "All of Lebanon is under occupation. We are talking about the pro-sovereignty front. Sovereignty is the foundation of the definition of a state. What kind of state has two armies? What kind of state contains a mini-state that is bigger than the state itself? So long as there is no sovereignty, there is no point in going into detail."

Host: "Has the Syrian influence returned [to Lebanon] vis this [Hizbullah] 'mini-state'?"

Germanos: "Iranian influence. There is no Syrian influence."

Host: "Is it worse than the Syrian influence?"

Germanos: "I think it is the worst thing Lebanon has ever seen. The worst.

[...]

"Saudi Arabia is the first line of defense against the Iranian expansion in the region. We and Saudi Arabia have the same problem."

Host: "But there is a Saudi-Iranian dialogue today.

Germanos: "We hope that such a dialogue takes place and Iran stops destroying the region. What is Iran doing in the Arab world? Does Iran do anything in the Arab world other than sow destruction? What has it done apart from destroying Iraq, Syria, and Yemen?"

Host: "It strengthens the Shiite sect."

Germanos: "Those Shiites are Arab, not Iranian. Iran has done nothing positive in the region. Only destruction."

[...]

"Twenty percent of Shiites are what I call 'suicidal.' There are the real 'suicide bombers.' They are against Hizbullah, against Iran's party, against the Amal-Hizbullah duo. They are framed in legal cases, are persecuted, cannot work... Sometimes, they are killed. Yes, they exist, but cannot talk. They are held hostage. The entire country is held hostage. We all are.

[...]

"Our decision is to engage in peaceful resistance, We do not want war."

Host: "Are you capable of waging war?"

Germanos: "Yes, why not? But we don't want to. We tried civil war in 1975 and it is futile. Among the proposed solutions... This comes from people working for the U.S. Congress. The proposal is to implement Resolution 1559 in areas where this is possible. If we cannot implement Resolution 1559 all over Lebanon, we cannot disarm Hizbullah, and we cannot enforce the sovereignty of Lebanon, at least this resolution can be implemented in areas that reject the Iranian occupation, so that these areas can recover."

Host: "You are calling for partition."

Germanos: "Absolutely not. It is Hizbullah that has divided [Lebanon]. Hizbullah has created a federal state in the areas it controls. In these areas, Hizbullah provides security, electricity, schools, and hospitals. It has created a federation."