Escaping from hell seems impossible! Death, chaos, and division appear to be the closest scenarios for the Lebanese, accompanied by a definitive state collapse, and a genuine will for a solution is absent. The solution requires fulfilling several highly difficult conditions and steps together! The fundamental problem lies in the lack of consensus on diagnosing the illness among masses that still believe in the divinity of their leaders, and have not yet recognized their mistakes and crimes. At this point, billions in loans and debts will not help, nor will oil and gas, if Hezbollah continues to cling to its weapons, and if the leaders and their supporters maintain the same behavior with their financial enclaves, while the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon and the banks continue their financial practices without taking monumental steps needed to abandon self-interests for the sake of the nation and to implement constitutional reforms that would usher Lebanon into a modern and civilized republic. The main steps and necessary conditions for the proposed roadmap are as follows:
1. **Hezbollah’s Participation in State Building.**
No solutions are possible for Lebanon to escape hell if Hezbollah refuses to participate in "building the state," which begins with complete and unreserved sovereignty, and arming the Lebanese army with the party’s (and others') weapons! Lebanon’s entry into any regional war that does not aim directly for self-defense could destroy the country again, rolling back financial, economic, and social disasters twenty years... at least!
2. **Need to Work on Convincing the International Community to Persuade Iran!**
The shortest path to convince Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the army and engage in "building the state" is through convincing the international community to convince Iran! This is necessary due to Hezbollah's connection with the Iranian axis and agenda! This would spare Lebanon from internal or regional wars.
3. **An Economy of Development and Social Justice!**
By creating wealth instead of sharing poverty! By enlarging the economy rather than destroying what remains! Adopt a "circular" economy, developmental in nature which contributes to human preservation and achieves social justice! An economy based on human and natural wealth. A "resilient" economy that protects Lebanon during wars and crises, while achieving food, water, environmental, and energy security! And involve the Lebanese diaspora in "building the state."
4. **Return All Depositors' Money and Their Losses.**
This is possible by holding accountable the "guilty" parties and thieves. (I have previously laid out a plan for how to fully return the money in earlier articles).
5. **Adoption of Citizenship and Civil State.**
This would entail changing the sectarian and confessional system, clear constitutional amendments, and an advanced and civilized educational system that builds good citizens, along with providing a role for the Lebanese diaspora in contributing to citizen and state building.
6. **Complete Separation of Powers for Proper Management of the Country.**
This includes the separation of powers, independence of the judiciary, and achieving balance and oversight among them. With the possibility for the President to dissolve the Parliament and for the Parliament to dismiss the government, while defining clear timelines for operations in institutions and constitutional deadlines... through clear constitutional amendments.
7. **Adoption of Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency to Stop Waste and Corruption.**
Stopping the channels of waste and corruption and all financial enclaves is essential. All state administrations, institutions, and public facilities must be subject to financial oversight with absolute transparency provided to oversight bodies to achieve this.
8. **Implementation of Administrative Decentralization.**
Giving local administrations the necessary power to achieve "development" contributes to unprecedented national development, particularly at the regional level, while maintaining regional solidarity to achieve the national public interest.
9. **Reconstruct a Sound Financial and Banking System.**
Rebuilding the economy cannot occur without a sound financial and banking system that restores confidence in the Lebanese currency, contributes to rebuilding a substantial reserves of hard currency, attracts investments back to Lebanon, and restores depositors' trust in the banking system after recovering their funds. A system that starts from "purifying" the Central Bank of Lebanon and private banks of any mismanagement.
10. **Rationalizing Management and Achieving E-Government.**
Lebanon needs to restructure its administration to make it "light," efficient, and professional, relying on modern and digital technologies to facilitate administrative transactions, alleviate burdens on the treasury, and encourage investments.
