EDITORIAL: Hezbollah has brought catastrophe upon Lebanon

As Israeli tanks mass on their southern border, the people of Lebanon steel themselves for another tragedy brought to their doorstep by their Hezbollah abductors.

This is not what the Lebanese people chose.

Even before the murderous actions of Hezbollah brought retaliation in the form of missile and drone attacks from Israel, the ordinary lives of Lebanese people had been shattered by their nation’s takeover by this jihadist militia.

Lebanon’s economy has been destroyed. Poverty in the country has tripled in just a decade. What was not so long ago a successful and modern nation, in the grips of chaos.

The Paris of the Middle East plunged into constant, catastrophic crisis.

And more tragedy is on the way.

The nation’s health ministry says 1000 Lebanese have been killed and 6000 wounded in the past fortnight. What passes for a government in Lebanon says that a fifth of the population has fled their homes.

Israeli airstrikes rained down in Beirut on Monday for the first time since 2006.

This assault was brought to the Lebanese people by the Hezbollah scourge which has infiltrated their government and destroyed their democracy.

Since the atrocities of October 7, Hezbollah has sent more than 8000 rockets and drones over Lebanon’s southern border, goading Israel into retaliation and in the process driving more than 60,000 Israelis from their homes.

Severely weakened by the jihadist assault on its institutions, authorities in Lebanon have been unable to rein in Hezbollah and bring to an end its intolerable attacks on Israel.

The Hezbollah takeover, aided and abetted by its terrorist patrons in Iran, is as much a tragedy for the Lebanese as Hamas rule has been for Palestinians.

And yet here in Australia, some celebrate Hezbollah.

Images from a Melbourne rally of protesters carrying Hezbollah flags should sicken Australians.

There’s no mistaking the murderous intent of that symbol — a fist against a yellow background, clenched around an assault rifle. Others carried photographs of long time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli air raid on Friday.

Those who do so are showing their support of a terrorist outfit, dedicated not just to the destruction of Israel, but who also bear responsibility for the decline of Lebanese society and the collapse of their institutions.

They may also be guilty of a crime, thanks to laws in Australia which outlaw the public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment.

No charges have yet been laid, though the Australian Federal Police has confirmed they are investigating and have requested any footage of those carrying prohibited symbols, or inciting violence.

Those found to have been promulgating hateful, radical ideologies in this country should be punished to the law’s fullest extent.