Messages of Hate on The Day of Love

For many Lebanese, Valentine’s Day has become synonymous of Rafic Hariri’s shocking assassination along with 21 others in 2005. On this occasion, it’s good to remember how hundreds of thousands of Lebanese spontaneously took to the streets in protest. In addition to “The Truth,” they demanded in one unified voice that Syria leave Lebanon after a peacekeeping mission that turned into a 30-year-occupation.

The movement that captured the world’s media and public opinion was appropriately referred to as the ‘Beirut Spring!’ Alas, the “spring” did not last as a unifying force for various reasons including the open wounds and scars from a long and painful sectarian conflict that never healed properly.

Syria has denied any involvement in the Hariri assassination or any of the many politically-motivated murders in the small Mediterranean nation. However, it is hard to imagine that any act, business or plot could be carried out at the time without the knowledge or blessing of the Syrian forces that were controlling every aspect of Lebanon’s political, military, social and economic existence.

Within a month of the assassination, all Syrian troops ashamedly pulled out of Lebanon to the amazement of most Lebanese, the awe of the world community and the disappointment of Syria’s staunch supporters who were benefitting from the Syrian boot over all of Lebanon.

There can’t be an act of hatred more pronounced than an assassination because it is masterminded, planned and executed to the last detail. The aim is to take someone out, what a hateful thought! One that has its masters and its slaves, all of them sick to the core, operating above any logic or law, intent on effecting change by removing “obstacles” instead of working with them or around them.

The modern history of the Middle East is full of such acts, Lebanon appearing to be the most dysfunctional, bearing the brunt of assassinations and assassination attempts with no sign whatsoever that they won’t return anytime soon.

Assassination appears to be the method of choice for negotiations in the Middle East. I won’t claim to know who is silencing whom and for what, there are enough theories out there to make any head spin beyond control; but the pattern is clear. In addition to the date being convenient, it is usually symbolic, an anniversary or holiday where security is relaxed or simply ruining a fun holiday because of an old heartbreak. Assassins are sick people and can fabricate a “reason.”

Every evil act of the Hariri assassination magnitude has a doer, a benefactor and an appearance pointing at someone who is usually receiving a message from the benefactor. It also encompasses enough twists and turns to confuse or conceal any evidence.

As the series of hate messages on the day of love continue to detonate among Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Israel and the United States, we stand witnesses to it all, disgusted and disapproving of these methods that turn humans from creatures capable of love to hateful beasts deserving the jungle.