Lebanon...

Seems the IDF "did nothing wrong" when it returned fire against the Lebanese border guards from south of the established border (meaning on the Israeli side of the frontier). They still aren't 100% sure what happened, but the question of who shot first seems pretty clear... the Lebanese shot first.

Lebanon is an almost unique example of the rich and diverse history that the region enjoys. It is an established republic, and has a long history of open and democratic elections. It has (in the past) enjoyed a level of international interest that is almost unrivaled outside of the city of Jerusalem itself. In the 50s and 60s, Beirut was a holiday destination for much of Europe and the Middle East. It had a vibrant, Western-style economy that provided one of the highest standards of living in the region.

It is also a stunning example of the lengths that can be taken to ensure diversity in government. For example, the President of Lebanon can follow any political ideology he or she may wish... but they MUST be a Maronite Catholic. The Prime Minister MUST be a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the Parliament MUST be a Shi'a Muslim. The seats of the Parliament are divided equally between Christan, Sunni and Shi'a... but proportionally among the various geographic areas of the nation. The demographics of the nation show a nearly equal division between Sunni (28%), Shi'a (27%), and Maronite (24%), with the last 19% being a mix of Druze, Orthodox, and various other denominations (including a large Palestinian population). The last twenty years of political history in Lebanon show that the majority of the population want peace and security... but the small minorities of radicals and outside influences (especially from Iran and Syria) are the factor that has contributed to the nearly constant civil warfare that the nation saw between 1975 and 1990.

Of all the states in the region, Lebanon shares its cultural and religious diversity most with Israel (and by extension, the PA). Would the time ever come when Lebanon could boast a peaceful and prosperous period of economic stability and growth, it would be a stunning example of the success that can stem from a "one state" solution even in Israel. The machines of state force the various components of the population of Lebanon to co-exist, where the institutionalized segregation implemented by both the PA and Israel make co-existence almost impossible from the start.

All this teeters on the brink of failure, however, when elements within the Lebanese military take matters into their own hands and fire on the IDF for no (apparent) reason. With the cost of the civil war still visibly at hand for all to see, the fragility of the Lebanese system must be the priority of Beirut at all times, and not the partisan and internecine squabbles that lead to "incidents" like we saw this week.