Bassam EL HACHEM
Executive Summary: On 9 January 2025, Lebanon elected a new president (General Joseph Aoun), who appointed a head of government (Nawaf Salam) to form the government, ending 26 months of emptiness and constitutional blockage marked by a political, economic and social crisis, as well as a war with Israel. Unblocking is not due to internal factors, but to regional geopolitical dynamics, including the upheaval in Syria on 8 December 2024, when the Assad regime was overthrown by Turkey and Israel, supported by the United States. This change, which is blocking Hezbollah’s land routes, is forcing him to accept a compromise with pro-American and Saudi Lebanese political forces. Hezbollah accepts the election of Joseph Aoun in exchange for guarantees on Shiite representation, the reconstruction of areas destroyed by Israel, and the continuation of the struggle against Israel through diplomatic and political means and as part of a national defence strategy. With regard to the margin of manoeuvre of the new Lebanese power in the face of American domination, the United States exerts considerable influence in Lebanon, via local media, international institutions, its oversized embassy or its increased military presence
Keywords: Lebanon, Near East, Government, Joseph Aoun, Crisis, Geopolitics, Relations
Hezbollah, Israel, United States of America, National Defence, Diplomacy.
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