Israel's Lebanese Ghosts
On a longstanding obsession + Some Updates
Hey everyone, this will be a short one. With everything going on in Lebanon, I haven't been able to write here as often as I would have liked. I have released two monologues on The Fire These Times, four interviews (The Final Straw, Crimethinc, The Breakup Theory and The Dugout) and three articles (972Mag and Good Law Project) so far on the US-Israeli war on Iran and its impact on Lebanon (links below), but I also wanted to add a few things here:
It is a mistake to view Israel's ongoing war on Lebanon as merely an extension of the war on Iran. They are certainly connected, particularly with Hezbollah's links to the Ayatollah's regime, but Israel's war on Lebanon is also the most recent manifestation of a much longer Israeli obsession.
Israel invaded Lebanon in 1978, a year before the Ayatollah came to power in Iran. Israel invaded Lebanon again in 1982, which is what led to the creation of Hezbollah in the first place. Israel bombed Lebanon in 2006, and developed its Dahieh doctrine then.
Israel's political culture, long been dominated by ultra-authoritarian tendencies that often cross into overt fascism, requires an eternal enemy, both internal and external. The internal one, obviously, is the Palestinian but as Israel's northern neighbour, it is Lebanon that has been cursed with being Israel's external enemy. Whether as part of a regional conspiracy involving Iran and Hezbollah, or as the country where Palestinian militants operated from, or as place where Israel developed its Dahieh doctrine, or as the country with Christians that Israeli politicians hope could become ally again — Lebanon has long been talked about in Israeli discourse as many places in one.
This is why, I think, that the Lebanon talked about in Israeli papers rarely intersects with reality's Lebanon. The latter is too complicated and contains grievances that have to be confronted, but that is not the Israeli way. It is inconceivable to imagine why discplacing, maiming, traumatising and killing so many people over multiple generations would create resentment. It is much easier to continue believing that Israel can defeat all its enemies through absolute dominance. They don't wish to understand why their society is constantly at war, but they do know that they got the bigger guns.
The death and destruction of my home country is what the Israelis need to avoid dealing with each other. They have killed so many people, and most of the time at a young age too, that they cannot see any way out other than through more death and destruction. Those among them who maintain some sobriety in this carnage understand that the ease with which Palestinians, Lebanese, Arabs, Iranians and/or Muslims are spoken about interchangeably in Israeli discourse could only mean that this is not about ‘them’ at all. This is about ‘us.'
That's all for now.
Updates
Career update
Happy to say that I’m now the Encyclopaedia Lead at the Decolonial Centre.
Moving to Ghost
This newsletter will be moving to Ghost. I don't have a timeline because I'm overwhelmed at the moment, but it'll happen soon. It won't change anything to subscribers.
Classes
The March-April masterclass on modern Lebanese politics and history has already started, but you can already register for the May class. They will take place on the 5 Saturdays of May 2026: May 2nd, May 9th, May 16th, May 23rd and May 30th at 4-6pm UK time. All info here.
Recent Stuff I've Written
Reach out if you want me to write for you.
Good Law Project: Trump’s illegal war puts all of us at risk (March 9th, 2026) (archived here)
+972Mag: Israel’s renewed war on Lebanon is about more than just Hezbollah (March 11th, 2026) (archived here)
Recent Interviews I've Done
Reach out if you want me to interview me.
- The Final Straw (audio): The US-Israeli War with Iran Spreads, Nuclear Weapons, Lebanon and Anti-Imperial Solidarity (archived here)
- Crimethinc (written): A Lebanese Perspective on the War on Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran (March 11th, 2026) (archived here)
- The Dugout (audio): Honoring Political Ghosts (archived here)
- The Breakup Theory (audio): Episode 31 – Iran and the US-Israeli Death Drive Economy (archived here)
Planned Interviews So Far:
Recent TFTT episodes
Available wherever you get your podcasts. Please leave a review and ratings to help me against our algorithmic overlords.
- Ep. 214: Lebanon Haunts the World (Monologue). March 16th, 2026
I talk about how Israel’s war on Lebanon will haunt our world, and why Israeli impunity is creating monstrous realities that can engulf us all. - Ep. 213: The War on Iran (Monologue) March 3rd, 2026I recorded a long monologue on the US-Israeli war on Iran and its consequences, particularly on Lebanon
- Ep. 212: Iranian Protesters Don’t Owe Us An Explanation (Monologue) February 13th, 2026This is a reading of my Hauntologies piece with added commentary
- Ep. 211: Organising Against ICE w/ Nicole Bedera, Aydin and Ed February 5th, 2026I spoke to Nicole Bedera who wrote “I’m a Minneapolis sociologist who studies violence. Here’s how ICE observers are helping.” Joining us were Minneapolis residents Ed and Aydin from Antidote Zine, which is part of the From The Periphery (FTP) media collective, to talk about how folks there were resisting the ICE gestapo.
- Ep. 209: Burnout, Grief and The Solidarity Apothecary w/ Nicole Rose January 6th, 2026I spoke to Nicole Rose from The Solidarity Apothecary project about her “Overcoming Burnout” series, which is also a podcast and an e-book. We talked about burnout, grief, trauma, mutual aid, herbalism, and more. Nicole also hosts the Frontline Herbalism podcast. Check it out!
Highlighted TFTT Episodes
TFTT episodes that speak to our current moment. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Review, ratings etc
- Ep. 205: Warsaw Ghetto, Gaza Ghetto w/ Daniel Voskoboynik. September 9th, 2025I spoke to Daniel Voskoboynik, co-host of Hidah: Jewish Counter-Colonial Thoughts (review, ratings etc. ) which is also part of FTP, about his stay near the Warsaw Ghetto at a time when it started to feel like much of the world was forgetting about the ongoing Gaza genocide.
- Ep. 201: This Cannot Be The New Normal w/ Daniel Voskoboynik, Karena Avedissian, Leila Al-Shami and israa’. July 30th 2025.I spoke with 4 members of the FTP media collective about the Israeli-imposed famine in Gaza and how the genocide cannot become the new normal. Check out Leila's “Syria: The Inconvenient Revolution” (STIR) and israa’s “The Mutual Aid Podcast” wherever you get your podcasts. Review, ratings etc.
Highlighted FTP-produced Episodes
Episodes from the other podcasts produced by FTP that speak to our current moment. Review ratings etc. You can support FTP on Patreon.
- From The Periphery Podcast (FTP Podcast): The Weekend that Set the Middle East on Fire. March 3rd, 2026.I joined israa’ and Ayman Makarem, host of Politically Depressed, to talk about the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, Iran's response, and the impact on Lebanon.
- STIR Ep.8: Searching for Solidarity w/Noor Ghazal Aswad. February 20th, 2026.Leila speaks to Noor Ghazal Aswad about her recent book ‘Searching for Solidarity: Revolutionary Dreams and Radical Social Movements’
- We're probably recording another FTP Podcast episode on Lebanon soon
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