Israel’s escalating use of white phosphorus in Lebanon: A weaponised tactic rooted in colonial-era chemical warfare and geopolitical impunity
Original framing: “What is white phosphorus, and why is Israel using it in Lebanon?” — Al Jazeera
White phosphorus has a long and dark history as a weapon of colonial and state violence, dating back to the 19th century when it was used in the Boer War and later in Vietnam by the US military. Its modern deployment in Lebanon is part of a continuum of chemical weaponisation that includes Israel’s use in Gaza (2008–2009, 2014, 2021) and the Syrian Civil War, where WP was used to suppress civilian uprisings and create zones of terror. The weapon’s resurgence in contemporary conflicts is enabled by legal loopholes and the global arms trade, which prioritise profit over humanitarian law. Historical analysis reveals that WP is rarely used for 'tactical' purposes but rather as a tool to instil fear, displace populations, and obscure the scale of civilian harm—strategies that have been effective in past conflicts. The framing of WP as a 'controversial' weapon obscures this historical pattern and the systemic role it plays in modern warfare.
The use of white phosphorus in Lebanon is not an isolated tactical choice but a systemic weapon of state terror, deeply embedded in historical patterns of colonial violence and geopolitical impunity.
Israel’s deployment of WP—enabled by a global arms trade and the selective enforcement of international law—mirrors the strategies of past conflicts, where chemical weapons were used to displace populations, create zones of terror, and obscure the scale of civilian harm. The framing of WP as a 'controversial' weapon obscures its role as a tool of systemic oppression, particularly in densely populated refugee camps where its toxic smoke exacerbates existing health crises and deepens trauma. Marginalised voices in Lebanon reveal the human cost of WP, while cross-cultural perspectives highlight how its use resonates with historical injustices across regions. To address this crisis, solutions must include strengthening international accountability, disrupting the arms trade, amplifying marginalised narratives, and promoting demilitarisation. The synthesis of these dimensions reveals a clear mechanism: the weaponisation of WP is not just a military tactic but a deliberate strategy to assert control, suppress resistance, and perpetuate cycles of violence—one that requires systemic intervention to dismantle.