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1 1 (July 18, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/goveqax0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service nforrning the Iegis ative debate sinee 1914 Lebanon Updated July 18, 2024 Lebanon faces a host of domestic and security challenges, exacerbated by economic crisis and political stalemate. The Israel-Hamas war and related regional instability have increased the fragility of Lebanon's society and institutions. Armed clashes since October 2023 between neighboring Israel and the Iran-backed Shia Islamist group Lebanese Hezbollah (a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO) threaten to escalate into all-out war. A full-scale conflict between Hezbollah and Israel would likely have devastating impacts on Lebanon and its people, and would pose serious risks to Israel. The United States seeks to reduce conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, in the context of pursuing long-standing U.S. policies to counter the influence of Iran and Hezbollah, and bolster Lebanese state capacity and reform. Government and Po t cs Lebanon's diverse population of 5.3 million people includes Christian, Sunni Muslim, and Shia Muslim communities of roughly comparable size. Political posts are divided among the country's various religious groups, or confessions, to reflect each group's share of the population-although no formal census has been conducted in the country since 1932. The presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister post for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speakership for a Shia Muslim. Two rival political coalitions have contested Lebanese politics since they coalesced during demonstrations that took place on different dates in March 2005, when Syria announced an end to its decades-long occupation of much of Lebanon. The March 8 political coalition includes the Free Patriotic Movement or FPM (Christian), as well as Hezbollah and the Amal Movement (both Shia), and has had ties with Syria and Iran. The March 14 coalition traditionally has included the Future Movement (Sunni), and the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb (both Christian), and opposes Syrian and Iranian influence. In the past five years, Lebanese politics has undergone a series of upheavals, but the system has not produced a clear mandate for leadership since 2022. A protest movement that began in 2019 in response to tax hikes forced the resignation of a March 14-aligned prime minister; his successor resigned following an August 2020 explosion at Beirut's port that killed over 200 people and caused massive damage. May 2022 parliamentary elections, which saw the election of an unprecedented number of self-described opposition members, did not result in a clear majority for either March 8- or March 14-linked groups, contributing to paralysis on issues requiring a majority vote, including government formation. The elections automatically triggered the government's resignation, placing it in a caretaker capacity and necessitating the appointment of a new prime minister and cabinet. Then-President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati did not agree on a new cabinet before the expiration of Aoun's term in October 2022; the cabinet remains in caretaker status with limited authorities. Figure I. Lebanon counaanies notA necessaniy aumnoranve.uIwrL unea tI rn menm torce in Lebanon. the U.S.reognizd the Golan Heights as prt of Israe in 2019 UN Seurty Couniw Resolution 497 (12/17/1981 hed that the area of the Golan Heights controlled by Isaefs mlitary is occupied territory belonging to Syria. Source: Created by CRS using ESRI and Google Maps. Presidential Vacancy Lebanon has not had a president since October 2022, when President Aoun's term expired without the election of a successor (Lebanon's president is elected by the parliament). In case of a vacancy in the presidency, Lebanon's constitution delegates its functions to the cabinet. In twelve rounds of voting from October 2022 to June 2023, Members of Parliament (MPs) failed to select a president-due either to lack of quorum, or to a number of MPs casting blank ballots. The U.S. Department of State stated in October 2023 that Lebanon's divided parliamentarians were putting their personal ambitions ahead of the interests of their country in failing to elect a president. Herbo lah Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated FTO and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), operates in Lebanon as a militia force, a political party, and a social services provider. According to the Department of State, Iran's government, which played a role in Hezbollah's creation during the 1980s, continues to provide the group with most of its funding, training, weapons, and explosives, as well as political, diplomatic, monetary, and organization aid. Hezbollah, arguably the most capable of the Iran-backed groups in the Middle East, has repeatedly threatened and engaged in combat with Israel, and has an estimated arsenal of 120,000-200,000 missiles and rockets. It regularly justifies its hostile posture by citing Israel's presence in disputed areas of the Israel-Lebanon-Syria tri-border

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