Hizbullah asserted that its victory in the 2006 war with Israel thwarted the United States’ dream of creating a “New Middle East” in the region. This project was intended to foster an economic peace among Middle Eastern countries, allowing them to bridge internal divisions and hostility toward Israel in order to form a major economic bloc that could interact with the world. For years, as the world watched, the Lebanese state fell under the continued control of Hizbullah following the conclusion of the 2006 war. Syria was destroyed due to a long and destructive civil war; Iraq’s stability drastically decreased; Yemen endured brutal shortages in basic necessities; and the plight of Palestinians has only grown during this time. It is in this context that the “bridge between continents” project seems to have taken root, with reports from the media widely circulating to that effect. India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel, and the European Union are playing a pivotal role in this project aimed at creating a peaceful environment underpinned by economic growth. Upon examination, it appears that the countries of the Axis of Resistance remain marginalized in terms of development on both a regional and global level and are hence unlikely to benefit from this diplomatic initiative. The conflicts in which the Axis of Resistance got involved proved detrimental, leading to economic, social, and political disasters in the region. Yet, the “bridge between continents” project has yet to be finalized, and Axis countries seeking to mend their ways can still join the ambitious endeavor. Unfortunately, Syria is barely able to recover from its bloody civil war and has become the largest source of refugees in the Middle East. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Hizbullah is vying for control at any cost—even at the expense of economic growth. The presidential impasse in Lebanon further complicates the situation. Hizbullah is attempting to capitalize on this crisis to gain control of the state, replacing the traditionally accepted forms of democracy with a model of mob rule and armed conflict. The presidential election in Lebanon could have drastically altered regional and international perceptions of the country had Hizbullah agreed to engage in the political process and demonstrate some pragmatism. Sadly, none of this happened. The “bridge between continents” project provides living proof that the claims of the Axis of Resistance about a so-called “triumph” over the Middle East are nothing more than wishful thinking. —Fares Khachan (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
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