A State Without Sovereignty
As the regional struggle between Israel and Iran intensifies, Lebanon finds itself increasingly sidelined as a sovereign state, effectively becoming the primary theater for a proxy war. In a recent appearance on France 24, Ayman Mhanna, the Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation, highlighted the precarious position of the Lebanese government, which he argues is structurally incapable of asserting control over its own territory.
While the Lebanese state has demonstrated a surprising level of administrative competence in managing humanitarian aid and preventing complete social collapse, Mhanna notes that this efficiency does not translate into political power. The core issue, according to the analyst, remains the government's inability to exercise authority over armed non-state actors, most notably Hezbollah. This power vacuum has left the nation’s borders and internal security subject to the strategic interests of foreign powers rather than national policy.
The Crisis of Legitimacy
According to Mhanna, the reliance on non-state actors to project power has severely undermined Lebanon’s standing on the global stage. The inability of the Lebanese state to dictate its own security policy has eroded both its internal legitimacy—as citizens contend with the fallout of a war they did not choose—and its international credibility.
"Lebanon has become the theatre for a war between Israel and Iran," Mhanna explained during his discussion with host Nadia Massih. By allowing its territory to be used as a chessboard for regional rivals, the Lebanese political establishment has effectively surrendered its agency. This dynamic makes it increasingly difficult for the international community to engage with Lebanon as a unified, sovereign entity, as the true centers of power operate outside the traditional framework of the state.
Humanitarian Resilience Amidst Political Failure
Despite the grim geopolitical outlook, Mhanna acknowledged the resilience shown by Lebanese institutions in the face of ongoing instability. He pointed to the country’s notable success in coordinating with international organizations to distribute humanitarian aid and its efforts to mitigate the social fragmentation that often accompanies such intense conflict.
However, these successes are merely mitigating the symptoms of a much deeper, systemic failure. As long as Lebanon remains unable to exert sovereignty over its territory, it will continue to suffer the consequences of a conflict that is largely dictated by external actors. The warning from Mhanna serves as a sobering reminder that without a restoration of state authority, the people of Lebanon will continue to bear the heavy cost of a war that is not of their own making.
