The President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, appointed former Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Ali Hamieh (affiliated with Hezbollah), as a special advisor for reconstruction affairs. The appointment, welcomed by Hezbollah supporters, is intended to accelerate the reconstruction process in areas — the vast majority of which are Shiite — that were damaged in the recent clashes with Israel (southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and the Dahieh district of Beirut). The appointment comes against the backdrop of the visit to Lebanon (on June 3rd) by Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi, suggesting possible coordination between the Lebanese presidency and Hezbollah (and the Iranians) regarding the management of the reconstruction process. The move is seen as an attempt to appease the Shiite public and ensure that reconstruction is carried out efficiently and transparently, with cooperation among the various actors in the country. Similar to the situation after the 2006 war, it appears that Hezbollah is once again being granted direct access to state resources, which it can redirect and utilize for its own interests .Following the 2006 war, these resources were used by Hezbollah, among other things, to build extensive military infrastructure — both above and below ground — within Shiite civilian areas (the human shield).Many of these military infrastructures were exposed during the recent war and continue to be revealed in the wake of ongoing IDF strikes. In conclusion, the State of Lebanon is still unable (and unwilling) to isolate and act against the State of Hezbollah that exists within it.
