World Summit on Counter-Terrorism
ICT's 8th International Conference - September 11, 2008
Workshop - Terrorism and Instability in Lebanon
This workshop focuses on Lebanon as a hub of anti-Israel and international terrorism. Lebanon's weakness as a state since it gained independence has served as a breeding grounds and center for terrorism. In the 1970s, Palestinian terror groups used Lebanon as their base to launch acts of terrorism in Israel and around the world. From the 1980s onwards, terrorist activity in Lebanon has been centered on Shiite Hezbollah, an organization which enjoys Syrian and Iranian support. In the last few years, radical Sunni groups that identify with al-Qaeda, such as Fatah al-Islam, have also been active in Lebanon.
Regional actors such as Syria and Iran, which are widely identified as state supporters of terrorism, are heavily involved in Lebanon, undermining the country's political stability. Through the chaos and perpetual instability that they advocate, they strengthen their own position within Lebanon and that of the Lebanese political actors they support. The support Hezbollah receives from Iran is also noteworthy. After all, Iran founded the Shiite group, equipped and armed it, and till this day, it is Iran that is directing Hezbollah's activity.
This workshop aims not only to examine the domestic Lebanese reality - which functions as a breeding grounds for various terrorist groups and enables them to expand their support base - but also to examine the links between terrorist groups, the Lebanese state, and regional actors -- primarily Iran and Syria. Finally, this workshop will seek to evaluate the current direction of the Lebanese state in light of the latest developments over the past few years following the Second Lebanon War. In addition, the workshop will discuss expected future activity by Iran, Syria and the various terrorist groups acting within the Lebanese areana.
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