Beirut Diaries
Beirut Reborn
Christopher Hitchens Attacked In Beirut
Redux: Beirut Reborn But Losing Part of Its History
Yusif Bedas: The Boy from Palestine
The State of Lebanon and the State of Hezbullah in Lebanon
"Beirut Diaries" is a documentary (directed by a Palestinian-American) set in the days following the spring 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The film follows a young Lebanese woman whose religion is ambiguous.
She is taken in by the March 14 movement and joins the youth who built tents in Martyrs Square. The assassination of Hariri sparked major protest against Syrian occupation of Lebanon and revealed divisions in Lebanese society.
March 14 was able to rally millions of Lebanese, but so did March 8 - the Hezbollah, pro-Syrian led faction. "Beirut Diaries" does not pass judgments, it just films the debates that dominate Lebanese society in the months after the assassination.
Lebanese youth argue amongst themselves about the merits of Hezbollah maintaining its armaments, the intentions of America, and why the country descended into Civil War (1975-1990) in the first place.
The debates always end without conclusive answers. Lebanese Muslim and Christian youth met together and ask their elders why the fought one another for so long, but there is no definitive answer. As one young man (who may be Christian or Muslim asks): how can the Lebanese unite now if we do not even know what divided us then?
The youth debate "the resistance". Many youth argue that Hezbollah should no longer maintain its arms now that Israel has left south Lebanon. But pro-Hezbollah youth retort that Israel still occupied the Shabee Farms and Israel continues to violate Lebanese sovereignty, thus Hezbollah is needed to defend the nation against Israeli hostilities and intentions.
Many Lebanese youth are torn between opposing the Syrian occupation of their country and at the same time fearful of America's intentions, and they do not want to be seen as to be one the same side of Bush.
The film does not resolve these debates for it could not possible. They continue to echo in Lebanon today. Recently, the Lebanese government agreed to allow Hezbollah to maintain its arms. Many members of Lebanese society protested this and thought it undermined Lebanese statehood to allow private militias.
Today, even the alliances have changed. Walid Jumblatt, previously of March 14, has now switched to March 8.
America is still viewed with suspicion by the pro-Western March 14.
And why did the Lebanese fight for so long? The narrative of the Civil War is controversial and many fear revisiting that era for fear of provoking civil strife.
"Beirut Diaries" is an excellent documentary because it allows Arabs to speak for themselves. The Western media often seeks to deny Arabs their voice, and seeks to falsely speak on their behalf.
"Beirut Diaries" allows the people at the core, who will determine the fate of Lebanon, to voice their own concerns. And by doing it shows just how diverse political debate in Lebanon is. Just how many stories there are to be told. The tapestry of the nation is endless. And the youth of Lebanon speak with an experience and command of politics that eludes youth elsewhere. It is a debate worth listening to.
