A&nbsp;gunman&nbsp;fired shots at the US&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;in Lebanon on Wednesday and was wounded in an exchange of fire with troops, the&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;army said.

The army said the attacker, a Syrian national, was detained and taken to hospital for treatment and&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;were searching through the area for other gunmen.

The US&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;said small arms fire was reported near its entrance in the morning but that the facility and staff were safe. US&nbsp;ambassador Lisa Johnson is currently travelling outside Lebanon, according to diplomatic sources.

A Lebanese security source told Reuters on Wednesday morning that a member of the embassy's Lebanese security team was lightly wounded. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan later confirmed to NBC News that a Lebanese guard was wounded and was receiving treatment.

The&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;said it would remain closed to the public for the rest of Wednesday but planned to be open for business as&nbsp;usual on Thursday, June 6.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but another senior&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;security source told Reuters that the army was investigating possible links to the Islamic State group.

The source said the attacker had "ISIS" in English and "Islamic State" in Arabic written on clothes he was wearing.&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;security forces have detained two sheikhs as well as the attacker's family, the source added.

Reuters verified pictures of the suspected attacker circulating online and geolocated them to near the&nbsp;embassy. Reuters verified part of the Arabic writing on his vest, which read "Islamic."

A Reuters cameraman saw&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;security forces setting up checkpoints around the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;as a U.S.-made helicopter provided to the&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;army circled above.

Lebanon's caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati said he was following up on the incident with the defence minister and security forces.

The US&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;lies north of Beirut in a highly secured zone with multiple checkpoints along the route to the entrance. It moved there from Beirut following a suicide attack in 1983 which killed more than 60 people.

In September, shots were fired near the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;with no injuries reported.

In mid-October, in the early days of the Gaza war, scores of protesters gathered outside the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;to demonstrate.&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;security forces&nbsp;used tear gas and water cannons to repel them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-politician-attacked-in-mannheim-amidst-rising-tensions-following-fatal-stabbing-of-police-officer-729093">German politician attacked in Mannheim amidst rising tensions following fatal stabbing of police officer</a>

Lebanon has been the scene of conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since October in parallel to the Gaza war. Tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been uprooted amid fears that the war will escalate.

The United States has been making diplomatic efforts to ease violence along the border.

In a separate incident, a member of Lebanon's internal security forces assigned to provide security at the Saudi&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;in Lebanon committed suicide outside the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;on Wednesday, a security source and a diplomatic source said.

The security source said the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;guard died after&nbsp;shooting himself in the head. The diplomatic source said he suffered from mental health conditions.

A gunman fired shots at the US embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday and was wounded in an exchange of fire with troops, the Lebanese army said. The army said the attacker, a Syrian national, was detained and taken to hospital for treatment and soldiers were searching through the area for other gunmen.

A gunman fired shots at the US embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday and was wounded in an exchange of fire with troops, the Lebanese army said. The army said the attacker, a Syrian national, was detained and taken to hospital for treatment and soldiers were searching through the area for other gunmen. The US embassy said small arms fire was reported near its entrance in the morning but that the facility and staff were safe. US ambassador Lisa Johnson is currently travelling outside Lebanon, according to diplomatic sources. A Lebanese security source told Reuters on Wednesday morning that a member of the embassy's Lebanese security team was lightly wounded. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan later confirmed to NBC News that a Lebanese guard was wounded and was receiving treatment. The embassy said it would remain closed to the public for the rest of Wednesday but planned to be open for business as usual on Thursday, June 6. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but another senior Lebanese security source told Reuters that the army was investigating possible links to the Islamic State group. The source said the attacker had "ISIS" in English and "Islamic State" in Arabic written on clothes he was wearing. Lebanese security forces have detained two sheikhs as well as the attacker's family, the source added. Reuters verified pictures of the suspected attacker circulating online and geolocated them to near the embassy. Reuters verified part of the Arabic writing on his vest, which read "Islamic." A Reuters cameraman saw Lebanese security forces setting up checkpoints around the embassy as a U.S.-made helicopter provided to the Lebanese army circled above. Lebanon's caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati said he was following up on the incident with the defence minister and security forces. The US embassy lies north of Beirut in a highly secured zone with multiple checkpoints along the route to the entrance. It moved there from Beirut following a suicide attack in 1983 which killed more than 60 people. In September, shots were fired near the embassy with no injuries reported. In mid-October, in the early days of the Gaza war, scores of protesters gathered outside the embassy to demonstrate. Lebanese security forces used tear gas and water cannons to repel them. Also read: German politician attacked in Mannheim amidst rising tensions following fatal stabbing of police officer Lebanon has been the scene of conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since October in parallel to the Gaza war. Tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been uprooted amid fears that the war will escalate. The United States has been making diplomatic efforts to ease violence along the border. In a separate incident, a member of Lebanon's internal security forces assigned to provide security at the Saudi embassy in Lebanon committed suicide outside the embassy on Wednesday, a security source and a diplomatic source said. The security source said the embassy guard died after shooting himself in the head. The diplomatic source said he suffered from mental health conditions.

Gunman wounds guard in attack on US Embassy in Lebanon, army investigates ISIS links

Unknown assailants opened fire on a convoy in southern Lebanon, killing one Irish UN&nbsp;peacekeeper and injuring three others, according to Irish and Lebanese military sources on Thursday. Eight Irish United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping officials&nbsp;were in two armoured vehicles when they were shot upon while they were travelling from the village of Al-Aqbiya north toward Beirut on Tuesday night, according to a statement from the Irish Defence Forces.

One of the three injured troops, according to the Irish military, is in critical condition. The perpetrators were not named in the statement. One peacekeeper's death and three injuries were verified by UNIFIL, but no other information was provided.

“Our thoughts are also with the local civilians who may have been injured or frightened during the incident,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said, adding that “details are sparse and conflicting.” Tenenti added that UNIFIL is coordinating with the military and trying to “determine exactly what happened.”

Also watch |&nbsp;Iran ousted from UN women's group; Russia and China oppose move

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-ousted-from-un-womens-group-russia-and-china-oppose-move-543137/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The armoured truck carrying the peacekeepers had turned over while attempting to flee the site when it was fired upon, according to a person involved with the inquiry who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to talk publicly about the case.

The act was condemned by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry, and a statement from the office of interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked for an inquiry.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-un-jaishankar-lays-out-indias-norms-for-multilateral-reforms-543141">At UN, Jaishankar reprimands Pak, China on terrorism, lays out India's 'NORMS' for reforms</a>

Residents of southern Lebanon often fight with UNIFIL soldiers. Irish peacekeepers were attacked in January in the southern village of Bint Jbeil by unidentified perpetrators, who also vandalised their cars and stole their belongings. The UN&nbsp;refuted the allegations made by the locals that they had taken photos of private properties.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Unknown assailants opened fire on a convoy in southern Lebanon, killing one Irish UN peacekeeper and injuring three others, according to Irish and Lebanese military sources on Thursday.

Unknown assailants opened fire on a convoy in southern Lebanon, killing one Irish UN peacekeeper and injuring three others, according to Irish and Lebanese military sources on Thursday. Eight Irish United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping officials were in two armoured vehicles when they were shot upon while they were travelling from the village of Al-Aqbiya north toward Beirut on Tuesday night, according to a statement from the Irish Defence Forces. One of the three injured troops, according to the Irish military, is in critical condition. The perpetrators were not named in the statement. One peacekeeper's death and three injuries were verified by UNIFIL, but no other information was provided. “Our thoughts are also with the local civilians who may have been injured or frightened during the incident,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said, adding that “details are sparse and conflicting.” Tenenti added that UNIFIL is coordinating with the military and trying to “determine exactly what happened.” Also watch | Iran ousted from UN women's group; Russia and China oppose move The armoured truck carrying the peacekeepers had turned over while attempting to flee the site when it was fired upon, according to a person involved with the inquiry who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to talk publicly about the case. The act was condemned by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry, and a statement from the office of interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked for an inquiry. Also read | At UN, Jaishankar reprimands Pak, China on terrorism, lays out India's 'NORMS' for reforms Residents of southern Lebanon often fight with UNIFIL soldiers. Irish peacekeepers were attacked in January in the southern village of Bint Jbeil by unidentified perpetrators, who also vandalised their cars and stole their belongings. The UN refuted the allegations made by the locals that they had taken photos of private properties. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Irish UN peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon convoy ambush, three others injured

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-police-clash-with-anti-government-protesters-268354">Lebanese</a>&nbsp;troops lobbed tear gas on Tuesday to disperse&nbsp;supporters&nbsp;of Shi'ite groups&nbsp;Hezbollah&nbsp;and&nbsp;Amal&nbsp;who tried to storm a square in&nbsp;Beirut&nbsp;in response to a video that purportedly offended Shi'ite figures, witnesses and media reports said.

Hundreds of youths on motorcycles waving their party and religious flags gathered in downtown&nbsp;Beirut&nbsp;chanting "Shi'ites, Shi'ites" and setting fire to tires. They hurled stones and fireworks at security forces standing nearby, witnesses said.

Ignoring calls for restraint by politicians, the youths tried to break a security cordon to storm the square where demonstrators have set up tents as part of an anti-government protest that has been going on for weeks.

In the vicinity of the area close to the main road that links the capital's eastern and western sections, scores of youths had burnt tires, smashed office buildings and torched several cars, live coverage by local television stations showed.

The protesters camped in the square have been targeted by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-protesters-clash-with-supporters-of-hezbollah-amal-in-beirut-264299">Shi'ite groups</a> in the past angered by chants against their political leaders, although Tuesday's violence was of an overtly sectarian nature.

The video, which inflamed passions in a country where sectarian divisions run deep, was purportedly made by an expatriate&nbsp;Lebanese&nbsp;Sunni from the northern city of Tripoli and released on social media.

In the predominately Sunni populated city of Saida in southern Lebanon, groups of masked youths stormed into the main square where they set ablaze several tents set up by demonstrators who have camped for weeks, local television stations said.

Lebanon has been gripped by a historic wave of protests since October&nbsp;17 leading to the resignation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-pm-saad-al-hariri-resigns-as-crisis-turns-violent-258682">Saad al-Hariri</a> as prime minister, amid anger at the government's failure to address the country's worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

More than seven weeks since Hariri quit, politicians have been unable to agree on a new administration despite the deepening financial crisis.

The impasse took a violent turn at the weekend when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-rock-beirut-as-security-forces-fire-tear-gas-at-protest-268499">Beirut</a>&nbsp;was clouded in tear gas as security forces clashed with protesters who blame the ruling elite for corruption and bad governance. Dozens were wounded.

Lebanese troops lobbed tear gas on Tuesday to disperse supporters of Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal who tried to storm a square in Beirut in response to a video that purportedly offended Shi'ite figures, witnesses and media reports said.

Lebanese troops lobbed tear gas on Tuesday to disperse supporters of Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal who tried to storm a square in Beirut in response to a video that purportedly offended Shi'ite figures, witnesses and media reports said. Hundreds of youths on motorcycles waving their party and religious flags gathered in downtown Beirut chanting "Shi'ites, Shi'ites" and setting fire to tires. They hurled stones and fireworks at security forces standing nearby, witnesses said. Ignoring calls for restraint by politicians, the youths tried to break a security cordon to storm the square where demonstrators have set up tents as part of an anti-government protest that has been going on for weeks. In the vicinity of the area close to the main road that links the capital's eastern and western sections, scores of youths had burnt tires, smashed office buildings and torched several cars, live coverage by local television stations showed. The protesters camped in the square have been targeted by Shi'ite groups in the past angered by chants against their political leaders, although Tuesday's violence was of an overtly sectarian nature. The video, which inflamed passions in a country where sectarian divisions run deep, was purportedly made by an expatriate Lebanese Sunni from the northern city of Tripoli and released on social media. In the predominately Sunni populated city of Saida in southern Lebanon, groups of masked youths stormed into the main square where they set ablaze several tents set up by demonstrators who have camped for weeks, local television stations said. Lebanon has been gripped by a historic wave of protests since October 17 leading to the resignation of Saad al-Hariri as prime minister, amid anger at the government's failure to address the country's worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. More than seven weeks since Hariri quit, politicians have been unable to agree on a new administration despite the deepening financial crisis. The impasse took a violent turn at the weekend when Beirut was clouded in tear gas as security forces clashed with protesters who blame the ruling elite for corruption and bad governance. Dozens were wounded.

Lebanese army clashes with supporters of Hezbollah, Amal in Beirut

By Monica Clua Losada and David J Bailey

People across the world are demonstrating their discontent in increasingly creative and disruptive ways.

The past year has seen schoolchildren across the world join the Fridays for Future strikes, witnessing mass walkouts from schools across the globe. In Chile, coordinated fare-dodging protests on public transport – also led by school pupils – has now grown into mass unrest against the rising cost of living. During the past two weeks, protests have erupted across Lebanon in opposition to rising taxes, involving road blockades and a human chain across the country to illustrate the unity of the people.

Something notable about these protests, from Chile to Lebanon to Catalonia, is that protesters are mobilising around far more than single issues. Their primary demands – from economic issues to climate change – are set against a backdrop of questioning the status quo more broadly. And it’s not just demands that are expanding: the ways in which civil disobedience and direct action are carried out is also becoming increasingly novel.

A closer look at the continuing demonstrations in Catalonia illustrates the significance of this.

Tsunami Democràtic

In September, a new initiative was created in Catalonia: Tsunami Democràtic. Nobody fully seems to know where it came from or who was the organising force behind it. Those initially sharing its tweets came from different political families, including all three pro-independence parties, as well as some of those who had been imprisoned as a result of their involvement in the Catalan independence movement.

Following its initial announcement, little was heard from Tsunami Democràtic besides occasional tweets highlighting the effectiveness of peaceful civil resistance. This changed on October 11 – the day the Supreme Court sentence against the Catalan leaders was expected – when Tsunami Democràtic released a song: “La Força de la Gent” (The Strength of the People). This echoed the spirit of the song “Agafant l’Horitzó” (Let’s take the Horizon), which was released prior to the independence referendum of October 1 2017. The group then started organising protests.

So far, Tsunami Democràtic has only called three of the countless protests we’ve witnessed since Monday October 14, when sentences were announced against the seven government ministers as well as the speaker of the House and two civil society leaders.

The first – and largest – protest was the occupation of Barcelona airport on the same day the sentences were announced. Some 155 flights were cancelled and the disruption caused to the airport was considerable, as the blocking of roads and of one of the terminals lasted well over six hours. On October 21 Tsunami Democràtic called another protest, with only a few hours’ notice, prompted by a surprise visit to Barcelona by Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez. The protest had a simple demand – #SpainSitandTalk – following the weekend’s refusal by Sanchez to answer the Catalan president’s calls.

High-tech protests

The group’s great success in calling and enacting enormous protests at the drop of a hat has been enabled, to a large degree, by technology. It has used the messaging app Telegram with particular success, gathering over 385,000 subscribers. Telegram channels (which are designed to send information from a single source to subscribers) have become crucial sources of information and organising around the world.

Tsunami Democràtic has also developed a new app designed to coordinate protests in real time depending on people’s locations. This proved so popular that its systems collapsed during the first few hours, as so many people tried to download it.

The app, which has not been put to use yet, is accessible using QR codes that are shareable among up to ten users. This means that if one of the codes (or nodes) is acting suspiciously, the whole chain can be removed. It is designed to organise users (called water drops) into actions to create a “tsunami”. This could include the occupation of transport hubs (such as train stations or aiports), but also the coordination of demonstrations against specific events. The idea is quite a novelty, and has already gathered interest among tech communities.

Tsunami Democràtic has already made waves. The Spanish Home Office has labelled it a terrorist organisation. Last week, the Guardia Civil (Spain’s paramilitary police force), closed down the Tsunami Democràtic website, and the home office minister announced that they are investigating who is behind it. So far, except for the musicians that appear in the song, and football manager Pep Guardiola’s video reading Tsunami’s manifesto, there are no other public faces.

Changing seas

We live in a time when protests are growing on a worldwide basis, often in response to undemocratic actions of governments.

In this light, the actions of Tsunami Democràtic are notable: they demonstrate a tendency for a growing proportion of people to turn to creative forms of disruptive protest. These methods are typically open, fluid, without rigid structures. They represent novel attempts to articulate a voice when it appears that those in power are increasingly uninterested in listening.

The rise in mass civil disobedience movements such as Tsunami Democràtic is often talked about in relation to the idea, put forward by the political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan, that a campaign which attracts 3.5 per cent or more of the population will bring about change. This is in no small part thanks to Extinction Rebellion’s popularisation of this claim.

Whether or not this is true, in the case of Catalonia, the proportion of the population engaging in protest is already much higher than 3.5%. Conservative local police estimates indicate that there were more than 500,000 people participating in the marches for freedom during the last general strike: about 14 per cent of the Catalonian population.

Enabled by technology, such movements are becoming more organised and creative than ever. While there is no guarantee that these novel forms of protest will be successful, the recent news that fracking will be banned in the UK highlights the way that persistent, ongoing, coordinated and novel efforts to challenge those in power can result in surprisingly positive outcomes.

 
(Monica Clua Losada is Associate Professor in Global Political Economy, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; David J Bailey&nbsp;Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Birmingham)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-future-of-protest-is-high-tech-just-look-at-the-catalan-independence-movement-125776">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Monica Clua Losada and David J Bailey People across the world are demonstrating their discontent in increasingly creative and disruptive ways. The past year has seen schoolchildren across the world join the Fridays for Future strikes, witnessing mass walkouts from schools across the globe.

By Monica Clua Losada and David J Bailey People across the world are demonstrating their discontent in increasingly creative and disruptive ways. The past year has seen schoolchildren across the world join the Fridays for Future strikes, witnessing mass walkouts from schools across the globe. In Chile, coordinated fare-dodging protests on public transport – also led by school pupils – has now grown into mass unrest against the rising cost of living. During the past two weeks, protests have erupted across Lebanon in opposition to rising taxes, involving road blockades and a human chain across the country to illustrate the unity of the people. Something notable about these protests, from Chile to Lebanon to Catalonia, is that protesters are mobilising around far more than single issues. Their primary demands – from economic issues to climate change – are set against a backdrop of questioning the status quo more broadly. And it’s not just demands that are expanding: the ways in which civil disobedience and direct action are carried out is also becoming increasingly novel. A closer look at the continuing demonstrations in Catalonia illustrates the significance of this. Tsunami Democràtic In September, a new initiative was created in Catalonia: Tsunami Democràtic. Nobody fully seems to know where it came from or who was the organising force behind it. Those initially sharing its tweets came from different political families, including all three pro-independence parties, as well as some of those who had been imprisoned as a result of their involvement in the Catalan independence movement. Following its initial announcement, little was heard from Tsunami Democràtic besides occasional tweets highlighting the effectiveness of peaceful civil resistance. This changed on October 11 – the day the Supreme Court sentence against the Catalan leaders was expected – when Tsunami Democràtic released a song: “La Força de la Gent” (The Strength of the People). This echoed the spirit of the song “Agafant l’Horitzó” (Let’s take the Horizon), which was released prior to the independence referendum of October 1 2017. The group then started organising protests. So far, Tsunami Democràtic has only called three of the countless protests we’ve witnessed since Monday October 14, when sentences were announced against the seven government ministers as well as the speaker of the House and two civil society leaders. The first – and largest – protest was the occupation of Barcelona airport on the same day the sentences were announced. Some 155 flights were cancelled and the disruption caused to the airport was considerable, as the blocking of roads and of one of the terminals lasted well over six hours. On October 21 Tsunami Democràtic called another protest, with only a few hours’ notice, prompted by a surprise visit to Barcelona by Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez. The protest had a simple demand – #SpainSitandTalk – following the weekend’s refusal by Sanchez to answer the Catalan president’s calls. High-tech protests The group’s great success in calling and enacting enormous protests at the drop of a hat has been enabled, to a large degree, by technology. It has used the messaging app Telegram with particular success, gathering over 385,000 subscribers. Telegram channels (which are designed to send information from a single source to subscribers) have become crucial sources of information and organising around the world. Tsunami Democràtic has also developed a new app designed to coordinate protests in real time depending on people’s locations. This proved so popular that its systems collapsed during the first few hours, as so many people tried to download it. The app, which has not been put to use yet, is accessible using QR codes that are shareable among up to ten users. This means that if one of the codes (or nodes) is acting suspiciously, the whole chain can be removed. It is designed to organise users (called water drops) into actions to create a “tsunami”. This could include the occupation of transport hubs (such as train stations or aiports), but also the coordination of demonstrations against specific events. The idea is quite a novelty, and has already gathered interest among tech communities. Tsunami Democràtic has already made waves. The Spanish Home Office has labelled it a terrorist organisation. Last week, the Guardia Civil (Spain’s paramilitary police force), closed down the Tsunami Democràtic website, and the home office minister announced that they are investigating who is behind it. So far, except for the musicians that appear in the song, and football manager Pep Guardiola’s video reading Tsunami’s manifesto, there are no other public faces. Changing seas We live in a time when protests are growing on a worldwide basis, often in response to undemocratic actions of governments. In this light, the actions of Tsunami Democràtic are notable: they demonstrate a tendency for a growing proportion of people to turn to creative forms of disruptive protest. These methods are typically open, fluid, without rigid structures. They represent novel attempts to articulate a voice when it appears that those in power are increasingly uninterested in listening. The rise in mass civil disobedience movements such as Tsunami Democràtic is often talked about in relation to the idea, put forward by the political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan, that a campaign which attracts 3.5 per cent or more of the population will bring about change. This is in no small part thanks to Extinction Rebellion’s popularisation of this claim. Whether or not this is true, in the case of Catalonia, the proportion of the population engaging in protest is already much higher than 3.5%. Conservative local police estimates indicate that there were more than 500,000 people participating in the marches for freedom during the last general strike: about 14 per cent of the Catalonian population. Enabled by technology, such movements are becoming more organised and creative than ever. While there is no guarantee that these novel forms of protest will be successful, the recent news that fracking will be banned in the UK highlights the way that persistent, ongoing, coordinated and novel efforts to challenge those in power can result in surprisingly positive outcomes. (Monica Clua Losada is Associate Professor in Global Political Economy, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; David J Bailey Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Birmingham) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The future of protest is high tech

By Mira Assaf Kafantaris

Religion has shaped Lebanon since it gained independence from France in 1943. In this multicultural country of Muslims, Christians and Druze – a medieval faith derived from Islam – religion defines membership and belonging. It is woven into Lebanon’s economic, political and social fabric.

The mass protests that began in mid-October over a proposal to tax WhatsApp calls are challenging that tradition. Over a million Lebanese from all faiths have joined together in these leaderless and nationwide anti-government demonstrations, in which the agenda has now expanded from avoiding taxes to regime change.

“All of them means all of them,” protesters nationwide chant, demanding the ouster of Lebanon’s entire ruling class.

On October&nbsp;29, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni, resigned, elating demonstrators. Protesters blame Hariri, along with Lebanon’s Christian president and Shiite parliament speaker, for rampant corruption, a wrecked economy and a ravaged environment.

In repudiation of the idea that religious allegiance comes before national unity, they are demanding fair elections, a stronger judiciary and more government accountability.

‘Hunger has no religion’

With 18 recognized sects – including the Maronite Christians; Sunni, Shiite and Alawite Muslims; and the Druze – Lebanon is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the Middle East.

When a class struggle broke out there in the mid-1970s, it quickly devolved into a civil war between right-wing Christian and left-wing Muslim militias.

To end Lebanon’s conflict, the 1989 Taif Accords required all factions to relinquish their weapons and distributed government positions to politicians of different faiths.

This power-sharing agreement has kept the peace in Lebanon. But it has also given it a political order built on religious factionalism.

Patronage networks run by the “za'eem,” as Lebanon’s powerful sectarian leaders are called, protect the interests of their religious communities, doling out favors both legal and illegal. All faiths have their own za'eem.

Religiously based governance has given Lebanon both extreme national debt and staggering inequality. According to the World Inequality Database, the richest 1% of Lebanese own approximately a quarter of the nation’s wealth. Lebanon’s infrastructure is crumbling. Power outages are a chronic problem even in urban middle-class neighborhoods.

Widespread human rights violations – including domestic violence, child labor and abuse of Syrian refugees – are rarely punished.

But, according to the political scientist Bassel Salloukh, Lebanon’s rulers “use sectarian mobilization to camouflage intra-sectarian socioeconomic disparities” – a divide-and-conquer strategy meant to stop class solidarity from emerging.

The beneficiaries of this system argue that Lebanon’s stability hinges on this sectarian balance. And, indeed, sectarianism has been remarkably effective in forestalling dissent for the past 30 years.

It has also instilled a deep distrust in government. A recent poll shows that 96% of Lebanese think political corruption is endemic.

The sectarian construct 
 
As a literary historian, I study the stories a nation tells itself about belonging, allegiance and identity. In Lebanon, my home country, I recognize sectarianism as a social construct.

Social constructs, like civility or money, are concepts that only mean something because humans agree they do. Often, social constructs benefit the powerful.

By drawing the boundaries of inclusion along religious lines, Lebanese sectarianism has impeded the rise of more unifying ideologies like nationalism or secularism.

“Sectarianism has been depicted as a monolithic force, unchanging in the face of history,” historian Ussama Makdisi wrote in his 2000 book “The Culture of Sectarianism. But, he continues, "sectarianism was produced. Therefore it can be changed.”

Since the civil war, Lebanese have been raised to see religion as the only marker of kinship and rivalry, but the LebSectarian politics have been dismantled before. Two decades after Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement, the divide between Catholics and Protestants there remains. But it is official government policy to foster peace-building, human rights and religious freedom.

Like protesters in both Tunisia and, more recently, Sudan – who pushed out religiously divisive leaders in hopes of nurturing a more secular democracy – Lebanon’s protests challenge a tired western stereotype that the Middle East is an intolerant, naturally authoritarian place.

Hezbollah is no exception

In recent days, demonstrators who support Hezbollah have protested the inclusion of their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in the movement’s calls for regime change. They say accusations of corruption against this powerful Lebanese political and social force are evidence of a conspiracy by Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States.

Violence erupted on Oct. 29 when Hezbollah supporters attacked demonstrators, re-opening key roads blocked by protester encampments and setting their tents on fire.

Still, the uprising grows. Past violence has failed to quell protests, as have offers from the government to cut lawmakers’ salaries by half and tax banks to relieve national debt.

Prime Minister Hariri’s resignation opens the door for real change in Lebanon, but protests will likely continue. The za'eem system means Hariri’s replacement may well reinforce the same power-sharing model.anese share many things: a multilingual literary heritage, for example, and a love of Fairuz, one of the Arab world’s most admired singers.

Lebanese of different faiths suffer together, too. As one protester told Foreign Policy, hunger has no religion.

The current grassroots protests build on the momentum of a 2015 uprising called the #YouStink movement. Those protests began when Lebanon’s main landfill was shut down and mounds of trash filled the streets of Beirut, but they came to embody numerous other causes: Children marched for climate action. Feminists defended the rights of domestic workers.

In 2018, women ran for office in Lebanon record numbers.

Rebuilding a nation

There is an academic theory I like about how nations are built, called “cultural intimacy.”

It holds that communal acts like breaking bread together, say, or self-deprecating humour play a crucial role in creating a shared citizenry.

The 1.5 million Lebanese Sunnis, Shias and Christians who have for weeks been walking side by side, holding hands and raging against the system are not merely protesting. They’re building a society that works for them.

(Mira Assaf Kafantaris is Senior Lecturer in English, The Ohio State University) 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lebanon-uprising-unites-people-across-faiths-defying-deep-sectarian-divides-125772">original article</a>) 
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By Mira Assaf Kafantaris Religion has shaped Lebanon since it gained independence from France in 1943. In this multicultural country of Muslims, Christians and Druze – a medieval faith derived from Islam – religion defines membership and belonging.

By Mira Assaf Kafantaris Religion has shaped Lebanon since it gained independence from France in 1943. In this multicultural country of Muslims, Christians and Druze – a medieval faith derived from Islam – religion defines membership and belonging. It is woven into Lebanon’s economic, political and social fabric. The mass protests that began in mid-October over a proposal to tax WhatsApp calls are challenging that tradition. Over a million Lebanese from all faiths have joined together in these leaderless and nationwide anti-government demonstrations, in which the agenda has now expanded from avoiding taxes to regime change. “All of them means all of them,” protesters nationwide chant, demanding the ouster of Lebanon’s entire ruling class. On October 29, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni, resigned, elating demonstrators. Protesters blame Hariri, along with Lebanon’s Christian president and Shiite parliament speaker, for rampant corruption, a wrecked economy and a ravaged environment. In repudiation of the idea that religious allegiance comes before national unity, they are demanding fair elections, a stronger judiciary and more government accountability. ‘Hunger has no religion’ With 18 recognized sects – including the Maronite Christians; Sunni, Shiite and Alawite Muslims; and the Druze – Lebanon is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the Middle East. When a class struggle broke out there in the mid-1970s, it quickly devolved into a civil war between right-wing Christian and left-wing Muslim militias. To end Lebanon’s conflict, the 1989 Taif Accords required all factions to relinquish their weapons and distributed government positions to politicians of different faiths. This power-sharing agreement has kept the peace in Lebanon. But it has also given it a political order built on religious factionalism. Patronage networks run by the “za'eem,” as Lebanon’s powerful sectarian leaders are called, protect the interests of their religious communities, doling out favors both legal and illegal. All faiths have their own za'eem. Religiously based governance has given Lebanon both extreme national debt and staggering inequality. According to the World Inequality Database, the richest 1% of Lebanese own approximately a quarter of the nation’s wealth. Lebanon’s infrastructure is crumbling. Power outages are a chronic problem even in urban middle-class neighborhoods. Widespread human rights violations – including domestic violence, child labor and abuse of Syrian refugees – are rarely punished. But, according to the political scientist Bassel Salloukh, Lebanon’s rulers “use sectarian mobilization to camouflage intra-sectarian socioeconomic disparities” – a divide-and-conquer strategy meant to stop class solidarity from emerging. The beneficiaries of this system argue that Lebanon’s stability hinges on this sectarian balance. And, indeed, sectarianism has been remarkably effective in forestalling dissent for the past 30 years. It has also instilled a deep distrust in government. A recent poll shows that 96% of Lebanese think political corruption is endemic. The sectarian construct As a literary historian, I study the stories a nation tells itself about belonging, allegiance and identity. In Lebanon, my home country, I recognize sectarianism as a social construct. Social constructs, like civility or money, are concepts that only mean something because humans agree they do. Often, social constructs benefit the powerful. By drawing the boundaries of inclusion along religious lines, Lebanese sectarianism has impeded the rise of more unifying ideologies like nationalism or secularism. “Sectarianism has been depicted as a monolithic force, unchanging in the face of history,” historian Ussama Makdisi wrote in his 2000 book “The Culture of Sectarianism. But, he continues, "sectarianism was produced. Therefore it can be changed.” Since the civil war, Lebanese have been raised to see religion as the only marker of kinship and rivalry, but the LebSectarian politics have been dismantled before. Two decades after Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement, the divide between Catholics and Protestants there remains. But it is official government policy to foster peace-building, human rights and religious freedom. Like protesters in both Tunisia and, more recently, Sudan – who pushed out religiously divisive leaders in hopes of nurturing a more secular democracy – Lebanon’s protests challenge a tired western stereotype that the Middle East is an intolerant, naturally authoritarian place. Hezbollah is no exception In recent days, demonstrators who support Hezbollah have protested the inclusion of their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in the movement’s calls for regime change. They say accusations of corruption against this powerful Lebanese political and social force are evidence of a conspiracy by Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States. Violence erupted on Oct. 29 when Hezbollah supporters attacked demonstrators, re-opening key roads blocked by protester encampments and setting their tents on fire. Still, the uprising grows. Past violence has failed to quell protests, as have offers from the government to cut lawmakers’ salaries by half and tax banks to relieve national debt. Prime Minister Hariri’s resignation opens the door for real change in Lebanon, but protests will likely continue. The za'eem system means Hariri’s replacement may well reinforce the same power-sharing model.anese share many things: a multilingual literary heritage, for example, and a love of Fairuz, one of the Arab world’s most admired singers. Lebanese of different faiths suffer together, too. As one protester told Foreign Policy, hunger has no religion. The current grassroots protests build on the momentum of a 2015 uprising called the #YouStink movement. Those protests began when Lebanon’s main landfill was shut down and mounds of trash filled the streets of Beirut, but they came to embody numerous other causes: Children marched for climate action. Feminists defended the rights of domestic workers. In 2018, women ran for office in Lebanon record numbers. Rebuilding a nation There is an academic theory I like about how nations are built, called “cultural intimacy.” It holds that communal acts like breaking bread together, say, or self-deprecating humour play a crucial role in creating a shared citizenry. The 1.5 million Lebanese Sunnis, Shias and Christians who have for weeks been walking side by side, holding hands and raging against the system are not merely protesting. They’re building a society that works for them. (Mira Assaf Kafantaris is Senior Lecturer in English, The Ohio State University) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Lebanon uprising unites people across faiths, defying deep sectarian divides

The story of Golan Heights- WION ground report

WION in Lebanon: Ground report from village Cheeba

The Lebanese army shot and killed an islamic state militant and detained three more in a raid today in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon, security sources said. 
 
The militant cell was accused of participating in the killing of Lebanese soldiers and of wounding an officer in the interior ministry&#39;s intelligence branch. 
 
The raid took place at a house in the village of Khirbet Daoud, near the northern border with Syria. The militant was shot in a clash between soldiers and the militants, the sources said. 
 
Sunni militants, including members of Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, have mounted a number of attacks in Lebanon since the war in &nbsp;Syria began in 2011. 
 
These include an incursion into the border town of Arsal in 2014 and suicide bomb attacks that have targeted the army and areas dominated by the Shi&#39;ite Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is fighting in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

The militant cell has killed Lebanese soldiers and wounded an officer from the Interior ministry's intelligence branch

The Lebanese army shot and killed an islamic state militant and detained three more in a raid today in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon, security sources said. The militant cell was accused of participating in the killing of Lebanese soldiers and of wounding an officer in the interior ministry's intelligence branch. The raid took place at a house in the village of Khirbet Daoud, near the northern border with Syria. The militant was shot in a clash between soldiers and the militants, the sources said. Sunni militants, including members of Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, have mounted a number of attacks in Lebanon since the war in Syria began in 2011. These include an incursion into the border town of Arsal in 2014 and suicide bomb attacks that have targeted the army and areas dominated by the Shi'ite Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is fighting in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Lebanese army kills IS militant, arrests 3 in raid

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Gunman wounds guard in attack on US Embassy in Lebanon, army investigates ISIS links