Pan-Arabism

Yes, it is dead. Politically speaking that is (although there are some who still use it to further what ever cause they think is just). But that does not imply that a Lebanese cannot feel Arab.

This is the typical identity crisis that Lebanese constantly argue about - are we Arab, just Lebanese, or have we descended from the great Phoenicians! There are quite a few that do spread this around. They don't seem aware that in the same way arabism (which is different than islamism, with which it is commonly confused) was created as a political movement in the late 19th century (by Christian circles, by the way, which some historians attribute to the islamic nature of the Ottoman Empire), this Phoenicianism was also a political movement, although not as widespread between the different communities as arabism.

Why am I discussing this? Today, a friend sent out an article about how the "I'm not an arab, I'm a Phoenician statement" is fundamentally wrong, and he got a flurry of replies. The antagonism of being even categorized with arab was hilarious. Yet some of the comments had some decent logic behind, such as debunking some of the main reasons that Lebanese seem to consider themselves arab - such as culture, geography, belonging the "Arab League" ... but then they go on to state things such as "we are closer to countries such as Cyprus, why don't we consider ourselves European". And thus it comes out . . . the true reasons why Lebanese don't want to be Arabs . . . if you want a reason not to be arab, don't let that reason be superiority.

It's funny though - I have never heard a Cypriot wondering why he didn't have the same image as Lebanese, or complaining that he didn't have enough identity with Norway to actually be labelled European.

There are some who don't really comprehend that identity isn't exclusive. I don't have to be only Lebanese, or Arab, or Phoenician (if you must) ...

I happen to be one of those people who does enjoy meeting other "Arabs" when I am away from Lebanon. And that is what makes me feel "arab".

But I guess Lebanon's identity crisis is deeper than that. Am I Christian, or Muslim. Am I from this town or that town. Am I . . . the list goes on. It has been relatively well understood that people can have different identities, and if you think you are a half breed of the Greek and Roman empires, so be it - just as long as this doesn't cause real problems with the rest of the county.

So this is it - we are the House of Many Mansions (great book by the way). Pan-arabism may be dead, but I won't deny that I am an arab if asked. I just won't make it my political way.

Sidenote: The Lebanese identity itself is new. A century ago Lebanon was just Mount Lebanon (Jabal Lubnan), which is a geographical label, just as bilad al sham was just geographical. And this identity hasn't yet been forged, as you probably know only to well. There are those who try to bring it up in their speeches and conversations, which is great, but only goes to show how disconnected they are. Ziad Rahbani (a political prophet for those who haven't heard his plays, or his radio skits) poked fun at all this before, during, and after the war. There are also those who dwelve on the differences between the different Lebanese groups, and call for a Federation, which would basically reshape (euphamistically speaking) Lebanon as we know it. I won't get started on that now . . .

posted by Lazarus, 6:48 PM