[On May 26, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi warned that Lebanon
would become aligned with Iran should Hizbullah win parliamentary elections, Middle East Newsline reported.
Ashkenazi told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that
Hizbullah could capture a parliamentary majority.]
Titled "Elections in Lebanon: A Hizballah Takeover?" the report said
Hizbullah would win the support of the dominant Shi'ite community as well as
segments of the once-ruling Christian minority. Kedar, a 25-year veteran of
military intelligence as well as a research associate at BESA, said Hizbullah has won
the support of major elements of the Christian community, which now
constitute as little as 10 percent of Lebanon. The Christians include former President
Michel Aoun.
"Aoun and the others support Hizbullah because they understand that
eventually the Shi'ite community will gain control of Lebanon, whether by
fair means or foul, since the demographic balance is changing in favor of
the Shi'ites, their military might is greater than the government's army,
the Hizbullah civilian and economic infrastructure includes hundreds of
companies, non-profit organizations, institutes and organizations, and
Iranian money keeps Hizbullah's wheels greased," the report said.
The report said Hizbullah has been purchasing land and housing in
Christian areas of Lebanon. Christian parliamentarians have been threatened
to support Hizbullah and its agenda to change the confessional system.
One scenario would be the revival of a plan to establish a majority
Christian and Druze state in the mountains of central Lebanon. The report
said Hizbullah could use its military to attack such an entity.
