new twist with the resignation last week of prime minister fighting in West Beirut which left 36 dead and 150 wounded. The fighting Muslims' Amal militia and their Druze allies against the Sunni Muslim's Murabatoun (apparently assisted by pro-Arafat Palestinians) -described as 'left wing' by the Western media.
The result was a clear victory for Amal the humiliation of the Sunni community, the resignation of Karami (the chief Sunni leader), and the collapse presenl Gemayel's 'national unity' government.
What lies behind the latest shift in Lebanon's complex pattern of tarian alliances? First it is necessary, to understand LIC relationship between Shi'a Conmunities in West Beirut.
ALAOUSE Sunni have traditionally been in the ascendic over the past 30 years, an influx of poor Shi'ite peasants from the south into Beirut's Dell of misery' has transformed the demographic balance.
The Shi'ites were asserting their authority even before the 1982 Israeli invasion. Since then Amal has emerged increasingly strong contender for hegemony amongst Lebanon's warIng sects.
Whatever the feelings of the Shi'ite masses, Amal is far from being a Khomeiniite or fundamentalist current. Its leader, following 15 hours of had pitted the Shi'ite all groups usually Nabih Berri, sophisticated bourgeois politician his organisation essentially re presents a 'bourgeoisie of the dispossessed Similarly, although the Sunni community relies for its military force on the Murabitoun militias (basically lumpen street gangs which were formed in the late ' 60s and have developed assente ideology), the old based estaousnucill. the merchant and landowning classes remains in firm political control.
What the current situation represents then, is a war betweet establishments in the context of a disintegration oI the Lebanese state.
The Shi'ite and Druze establishments have formed around changing the distributione power within Lebanon's sectarian state, see the Sunni establishment as being in league with Gemayel against them. It represents a big shift from the days when Lne Druze communities were wanted around Lilc 1975 programme of the lebanest national ment which called for the abolition of political conThe situation is further complicated by the roles of Syria and Israel, and the relevance the Palestinian question in Lebanese politics. Israel invaded in 1982 with the of establishing strong unitary pro-Israeli state in Lebanon.
That goal is now unattainable, and the Israelis seem quite happy to see Warring statelets. This fits break into the vision of the Zionist far right of a Middle East shattered into myriad sectarian states Whilst maintaining their control of South through their own forces and the puppet South army, syria is concerica lo cacat its traditional predominting cross-border attacks on Israel and guaranteeing itself a leading role in any imperialist 'settlement' of the Israeli-Arab contlict.
Traditionally Syria has allied itself with the Sunni establishment, but the growth ot anks between pro-Arafat Palestinians and the Murabitoun posed the question of an antiBeirut. So the Syrians turned to Amal as the onlv force. strong enough to curb it. the Lebanese army being an impotent joke.
However Amal was rather too enthusiastic in the offensive against the Sunni. Karami (tradipro-Syrian) was to resign rather than endure the humilia. tion of his community. He remains as caretaker prime minister. But now, he and Gemayel are begging Syria to save what remains of their regime.
Confused? You will be, as the crisis deepens and new alliances emerge.
However it's cleat what socialists should be calling for in the current situation: self-determination for the Lebanese people free the of Western machinations Imperialism, the brutality of the Israeli invaders or Syria's cynical powerbroking. Most concretely this means calling for the and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops the solidarity with the heroic resistance south.
defeat for imperlalsin that scale would provide a breathing which the Lebanese regroup and renew itself to offer a genuine alternative endless communal bloodshed. An Israeli concentration camp
on Latin Socialist Action make new other, jective ones.