Beirut, Lebanon – Palestinian factions in Lebanon are expressing readiness to open a potential second front against Israel if the Shia-backed group Hezbollah leads the way, according to fighters and analysts closely monitoring the situation.
Ahmed Habet, a member of the Palestinian party Fatah in Burj al-Barajneh, a refugee camp in Beirut, emphasized the determination of those ready to take action, stating, “Wherever [Israel] is ready for [the fight] to happen, it will happen. I’m the blood of my homeland. I live for my homeland. I don’t live for the future.”
The possibility of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, supported by Palestinian factions, looms as a scenario that could plunge Lebanon and the entire region into a catastrophic conflict.
In the wake of Hamas’s recent operation from the Gaza Strip, which resulted in significant casualties on both sides, Israel’s “total blockade” of Gaza has triggered widespread condemnation as a collective punishment, a violation of international law, and a potential crime against humanity.
Unlike their counterparts in Gaza, branches of Palestinian factions in Lebanon, including Hamas, Fatah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), may not have the capacity to sustain an assault against Israel independently.
This is where Hezbollah, which recently fired mortar strikes from Lebanon into the occupied Shebaa Farms, comes into play. The potential for a major escalation hangs in the balance, with analysts suggesting that the outcome could hinge on Israel’s next steps both domestically and in its actions toward the Gaza Strip.
“A conflict on that scale will be much more likely if [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu is able to form a unity government,” noted Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow with Carnegie Middle East Center, a Beirut-based think-tank.
According to Ahmed Abed, an official for Hamas’s branch in Lebanon, Hezbollah has indicated its willingness to engage if Israel’s retaliation against Gaza becomes excessive. He stated, “Hezbollah… decided that they will engage [Israel] if the retaliation against Gaza is excessive. They said they are coordinating with the leadership of [Hamas] in Palestine and that they will intervene at the right time [if need be].”
Although experts do not necessarily predict a larger confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah at this stage, they acknowledge that it cannot be entirely ruled out.
The plight of Palestinians in Lebanon, enduring discriminatory laws and difficult living conditions, has fueled a longing for their ancestral homeland. Frustration has grown, particularly among those living in refugee camps, who have faced decades of hardship.
As tensions persist, the possibility of a second front against Israel involving Palestinian factions in Lebanon remains a complex and sensitive issue, with implications that could reverberate across the region.