BEIRUT - The CBS’s 60 Minutes planned to broadcast an episode on Sunday on Israel's Pagers and Walki-Talkie Massacre against Hezbollah on September 17-18, 2024. In her episode, Leslie Stahl conducts interviews with agents of the Mossad who planned for the operation over a period of about two years.

This crime obviously is an aggression against the Lebanese state as Israel has violated all the rules prohibited in security wars. The four Geneva Conventions, which form the basis of international humanitarian law, consider combatants as civilians as long as they are not directly involved in the fighting. They also prohibit any attack that causes excessive harm to civilians that Israel deliberately breached, which is classified as a full-fledged war crime.

Since international law stipulates the prosecution of those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law, those who made the decision and carried out this indiscriminate killing must be held accountable before the International Criminal Court.

Meanwhile, US Senators Ben Cardin, Jeanne Shaheen and Jack Reed Cardin have introduced Preventing the Undermining of Lebanon’s Sovereignty and Economy (PULSE) Act. The bill allegedly authorizes robust assistance “to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces as the legitimate defenders of Lebanon, provides humanitarian relief to those displaced, and supports essential state institutions, education, and investigative journalism.”

Besides, the PULSE Act allegedly assists “to uphold the rule of law in Lebanon and supports resolution of the electoral deadlock in the selection of a new president that will put first the well-being of Lebanon’s citizens.”

“Thanks to the diplomatic efforts of the Biden administration, the current ceasefire offers a path to stability and prosperity for the people of Lebanon,” said Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Cardin claimed the act will be “a critical tool to support the Lebanese people as they move forward to build a future that is secure, stable, and prosperous, free from conflict and external threats. The United States must stand by the Lebanese people in this pivotal time—they deserve nothing less.”

Chair Reed stated that the bill, which is divided into 12 points, would “help improve Lebanon’s ability to safeguard its sovereignty and protect its citizens.”

The bill coincides with Washington’s persistent attempts to restrict Hezbollah under the pretext of combating “Iranian entrenchment.” It is linked to the “soft power” methodology theorized by Joseph Nye, former Assistant Secretary of State for Defense in the Clinton administration, which is based on three basic resources: culture, political values, and foreign policy.

Since 2009, instead of using the term “soft power,” Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, coined the term “soft war” in a bid to mobilize the masses to confront the US colonial hegemony.  Then the term has become part of Hezbollah’s literature, not only within its Shiite demographics but also among the pro-Axis of Resistance people despite their various ideological affiliations.

Since its founding, Hezbollah’s discourse has reconciled its Islamic doctrine with Lebanese nationalism politically, culturally, and socially, taking into account sudden and unexpected changes and challenges. Hezbollah’s strategy of flexible adaptation has been quite essential, helping it establish wide networks of supporters and sympathizers.

Hezbollah has further devised a set of creative tactics with the aim of providing an alternative for Gen-Z. Unlike some Islamic movements that respond to cultural Americanization either by turning to extremism and self-isolation or by responding through complete submission to Western imperialism, Hezbollah has succeeded – as was demonstrated during the last war – in creating a broad, highly organized, disciplined, and productive popular environment. It is a diverse but cohesive environment at the national and regional levels.