An unprecedented look at social breakdown and Sunni-led jihad in northern Lebanon Northern Lebanon is a land in turmoil. Long under the sway of the Assad regime in Syria, it is now a magnet for Sunni Muslim jihadists inspired by anti-Western and anti-Shi‘a worldviews. The Sunni Tragedy in the Middle East describes in harrowing detail the struggle led by an active minority of jihadist militants, some claiming allegiance to ISIS, to seize control of Islam and impose its rule over the region's Sunni Arab population. Bernard Rougier introduces us to men with links to the mujahidin in Afghanistan, the Sunni resistance in Iraq, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. He describes how they aspire to replace North Lebanon’s Sunni elites, who have been attacked and discredited by neighboring powers and jihadists alike, and explains how they have successfully positioned themselves as the local Sunni population’s most credible defender against powerful external enemies—such as Iran and the Shi‘a militia group Hezbollah. He sheds new light on the methods and actions of the jihadists, their internal debates, and their evolving political agenda over the past decade. This riveting book is based on more than a decade of research, more than one hundred in-depth interviews with players at all levels, and Rougier’s extraordinary access to original source material. Written by one of the world’s leading experts on jihadism, The Sunni Tragedy in the Middle East provides timely insight into the social, political, and religious life of this dangerous and strategically critical region of the Middle East.

This book examines the unfolding of the Syrian refugee crisis in relation to the spillover of the Syrian civil war in Lebanon and against the background of Lebanon–Syria relations and Lebanon’s socio-political, cultural, legal, and economic conditions. It surveys Lebanon’s response plans to the refugee crisis as part of the development of the international response plans to address the protection and needs of the Syrian refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria, as well as the impacted host communities and institutions. At the same time, this book emphasizes the dramatic shift in popular and institutional attitudes towards the refugees as a response to and as a growth of the sheer magnitude of the refugee crisis, which made Lebanon the only country in modern history with the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world. By examining these attitudes against the background of achievements and failures of the response plans, the impact of the crisis on state institutions on the local and national levels, and the collective consciousness of a nation barely surviving the scars of its civil war, this book not only underscores the deepening tragedy of Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, but also the consequential tragedy of many Lebanese, who have been forced into poverty and whose livelihoods have been affected by insecurity and the almost complete collapse of social services. As a result, the tragedy of the Syrian refugee crisis has become an international crisis affecting vulnerable persons across nationalities, and, unless it is addressed diplomatically and its response plans sufficiently funded, the tragedy will only deepen across continents.

Cathy Sultan combines vital history and vivid personal interviews to relate the lives of the oft-ignored civilians of southern Lebanon and northern Israel during the July war of 2006 and its aftermath. She documents how thousands of area residents have been victimized by the hawkish, shortsighted policy decisions of Israel, Lebanon and the United States. Throughout the book, these narratives of mothers, soldiers, activists and ambulance drivers on both sides are memorable for their detail, honesty and the deep sense of tragedy they relate.Tragedy in South Lebanon also addresses the media treatment of the war, systematically dispelling common myths about the region perpetuated by government and main-stream sources. Sultan discusses how divisive factions within the current Lebanese government leave the country teetering on the brink of yet more violence, imploring government officials on all sides to act with foresight, compassion and responsibility. Features include a chronology of Lebanese history, maps depicting wartime activity and a glossary of Middle Eastern terms.

In this timely and significant book, an eminent scholar recounts the history of modern and contemporary Lebanon-a history marked by continuing strife and tragedy. A judicious account of Lebanon's sustained domestic conflict, this book analyzes the exacerbating effects that foreign intervention and occupation have had on the Lebanese political order. Itamar Rabinovich opens with a chapter explaining the paradoxical nature of the Lebanese state. He follows the events of a particularly important twelve-year period through four distinct stages: the collapse of the Lebanese political system between 1970 and 1975; the civil war of 1975-1976; the lingering crisis of the years 1976-1982; and the war of 1982. Bringing the story up to date, he devotes a chapter and a postscript to events since September 1982. Grounding his interpretation and narrative firmly in a historical perspective, Rabinovich provides an unbiased treatment of the perceptions and intentions of the participants—a rarity in books on this subject. He sorts out the rich mix of domestic, regional, and international political figures and uses a variety of Arab and Israeli sources to clarify military moves, political ties, and diplomatic initiatives. The author offers a thorough review of the internecine rivalries between different religious groups, political factions, economic interests, and the international allies and opponents with longstanding stakes in Lebanon. His explanation of the delicate balancing and counterbalancing required of any Lebanese regime trying to establish order between these antagonistic elements helps to clarify the basic causes of the current crisis. Writing from a solid background in modern Middle Eastern studies, Rabinovich successfully delineates the interplay between Lebanon's domestic unrest and the major problems that continue to plague the Middle East.