Alongside the anxiety the Israeli war machine instills in us—the fear of becoming collateral damage, as has already happened to hundreds of Lebanese—we, who have maintained a chronic critical distance from Hezbollah’s weapons, find ourselves in a position more complex than that of those who have reconciled with this armament. This is because Hezbollah’s proponents have elevated the “central cause” above all other priorities.
The complexity does not stem solely from our critical stance toward Hezbollah’s weapons or from the looming threat of occupation, or even the prospect of facing a blind killing machine and a genocidal decision by Israel. What’s new and startling is Israel’s blunt admission, through its army spokespeople, that the war is between them and the Shia. There is no longer a need to mention “Hezbollah” in the speeches of army spokespersons like Daniel Hagari and Avichay Adraee. Both are official spokesmen for the army, and what they say reflects its combat doctrine.
Hagari points to a village in southern Lebanon that the Israeli army has entered, calling it a “Shia village” that was, according to him, preparing to “enter northern Israel.” This decision to avoid distinguishing between the “Shia” and “Hezbollah” is a part of the war plan. Moreover, in another video, Avichay Adraee is seen asking his viewers: “They are the Shia… Haven’t you read what Muslim scholars have written, warning you about the threat of Iranian Shia against you and your people?”
This invading army, which lacks any sensitivity in distinguishing between combatants and a broad social group, initiated its military operations with a war plan that, at its core, extends what its spokespersons have made clear during their field tours. This plan involves targeting the “Shia” in Lebanese areas where they have sought refuge, alongside efforts to instill fear in communities that have sheltered refugees, warning them of the threat these individuals supposedly pose.
This has occurred in multiple locations across Lebanon, with dozens of airstrikes targeting buildings housing refugees, killing entire families under the pretext of a wanted individual being present in these buildings. A single Hezbollah member is enough to justify a decision to kill dozens, as happened in the Zgharta district, and earlier in the towns of Barja and Ain el-Dilb, east of Saida.
The bloody messages carried by these airstrikes are numerous. Killing a Hezbollah member may be the least significant objective for the Israeli army; the primary aim is the collective punishment of the Lebanese Shia community. Secondly, it seeks to create tension between local residents who have hosted the displaced and the displaced themselves, something we have seen following several airstrikes.
It is likely that Hezbollah members and officials who moved to these non-Shia targeted areas did so without turning them into military centers, as the Israeli war and media machine claims. Hezbollah has made countless tactical and strategic errors during this war, but none rise to the level of transferring military bases to areas of displacement. It can be criticized for not prioritizing civilian safety when its leaders move around, but Israel’s claim that the party has turned displacement areas into missile storage sites is nothing more than a tasteless joke.
It is evident that the Israeli propaganda machine is far more brazen than that of its adversaries. Avichay Adraee is a figure who does not adhere to any moral or political standards. He issues warnings on “X” (formerly Twitter) for people to evacuate their areas at 5 a.m., accompanied by a smug smile, seemingly relishing the thought of civilians being jolted awake and scrambling after receiving his threats.
This man is not merely a social media personality; he is an official spokesperson for an army backed by the majority of the world’s nations, and behind them, the values of “human rights.” Perhaps the latest recorded offense by this propaganda machine was the interview conducted with a prisoner of war, during which the prisoner’s rights were flagrantly violated, trampling over the rights of prisoners as established by the United Nations.
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