Convergence of interests between Trump and Biden may result in an agreement to end the war in Gaza

Convergence of interests between Trump and Biden may result in an agreement to end the war in Gaza

    Wednesday, November 27, 2024   No comments

Trump has been consistent with his demand that "finishes the job in Gaza quickly." In fact, he wants the war to end before he takes office so that he can focus on his domestic agenda which is expected to take most of his energy. Biden, who has been involved in a balancing act of supporting Israel and listening to young Americans most of whom see the war in Gaza as genocide, to enable his party to win elections is now free to focus on his personal legacy and achieve something in the Middle East. This convergence of interest may lead to an end of the war in Gaza, which will bring down the level of tension in the region.

With a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon in place, Biden is now looking to end the war in Gaza, which will reduce violence in the region. To this end, Biden will launch a new push on Wednesday to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and release hostages, after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a truce in Lebanon, his national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

The truce that began early Wednesday in southern Lebanon means Hezbollah is no longer fighting in support of Hamas in Gaza. It will increase pressure on the Palestinian movement to accept a ceasefire and release the hostages, Sullivan told MSNBC.

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before the US- and French-brokered truce with Hezbollah was announced Tuesday and they agreed to try again to reach a deal on Gaza, Sullivan said.

“President Biden intends to begin this work today by engaging his envoys with Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region,” he said.

“We believe this is the beginning of an opportunity for a more stable Middle East where Israel’s security is assured and the interests of the United States are secure,” he added.

The agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was seen as an achievement for Biden as he prepares to leave the White House and hand over power to Donald Trump on January 20.

In parallel with announcing the agreement on Tuesday, Biden said that the United States, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Israel will again seek a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel is still fighting a war against Hamas after an October 7, 2023 attack on its territory.

Biden confirmed that Washington will also push for a long-discussed agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Media review: reactions to the ceasefire in Lebanon

Israeli media focused on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that the Security Cabinet had agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon under US mediation. While politicians opposed the agreement and considered it a surrender, analysts and journalists welcomed it, saying that there were political and military circumstances that pushed for signing it with all its negatives and loopholes, as they described them.

Kan 11 political affairs correspondent Suleiman Masouda said, "There are circumstances that are not only political, but also operational (military) that push for signing this agreement. We are entering the winter season, and the United States has not been supplying Israel with all the ammunition it requests for a while now, and there is a broad arms export ban."

Doron Kadosh, military affairs correspondent for Army Radio, described the agreement as "bad and with negatives and loopholes," but said that the army is demanding the agreement.

However, the Israeli correspondent explained that "there are immediate positives regarding ammunition and the issue of reserve soldiers who are collapsing under the pressure of military service and are no longer able to endure, in addition to the need to focus efforts on the Gaza Strip and recover the kidnapped soldiers."

For his part, Channel 13 military affairs analyst Alon Ben David explained that they in the security establishment acknowledge that the agreement with Lebanon "is not an ideal agreement, but from the beginning the army did not claim that it would eliminate Hezbollah's military power, because that would mean occupying all of Lebanon."

Former head of the Military Intelligence Division, Amos Malka, said that the war in Lebanon could end in three ways: the first is: "with the proposed agreement, the second with a security belt, and the third with a war until the last breath in an attempt - as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said - to eliminate Hezbollah."

He pointed out that the third possibility is not possible "because it will be a different war, and I do not think we have international support, and I do not think we have military plans for that."

Moshe Saada, a member of the Knesset for the Likud party, commented on the subject of the agreement with Lebanon by saying: "The situation is very complicated, and there are threats to ban the supply of weapons to us, and there are threats of UN resolutions against Israel."

As for the head of the "Israel Beiteinu" party, Avigdor Lieberman, he said, "This is a short ceasefire for 5 or 6 years, until the Fourth Lebanon War breaks out," noting that within 5 or 6 years "they (Hezbollah) will have 40,000 drones in Baalbek."

For his part, Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats party and a former deputy chief of staff, described the agreement as “an interim agreement with clear justification, which we reached with a very exhausted army.”

"Hasty and irresponsible decision"... Anger in Israel over ceasefire agreement with Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the agreement in the context of what he said were “unprecedented achievements” made by Israel over the past year of war on seven fronts.

He said that Israel had set Hezbollah back decades and that it was no longer the same group it once was, according to the BBC.

Netanyahu indicated that the ceasefire would also allow Israel to “focus on the Iranian threat,” stressing that his country would retain full military freedom to confront any new threat from Hezbollah.

But Netanyahu’s political rivals, and even some of his allies, view the agreement as “de facto surrender.”

A poll conducted yesterday indicated that more than 80 percent of Netanyahu’s support base opposes the agreement, and that residents of northern Israel, who have been evacuated in large numbers due to Hezbollah strikes in the area, are also angry.

In Israel, the deal was deeply divided. One poll showed that 37 percent of Israelis support the ceasefire, 32 percent oppose it, and 31 percent do not know that there is an agreement at all.

Shelly, an English teacher in the town of Shlomi, said the ceasefire was “an irresponsible, hasty political decision.”

Rona Valenci, who was evacuated from Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in northern Israel on October 8 last year, said she wanted to return home and that a ceasefire was necessary, but the idea of ​​Lebanese residents returning to villages near Kfar Giladi, such as the Lebanese village of Adaisseh, gave her “a sense of anxiety and fear”.

“The only thing I can hope for is that Hezbollah does not infiltrate such nearby villages and build a new network there,” she said.

“There is nothing real that can make me feel safe except for these villages to be completely wiped out, and for no one to be there.”

The BBC said it had spoken to many Israelis who believe Netanyahu should continue the war in Lebanon, and wonder why the prime minister, who has vowed to continue fighting in Gaza until “complete victory”, would sign a ceasefire in Lebanon?!

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir opposed the agreement, calling it a “historic mistake”.

“This is not a ceasefire, it is a return to the concept of quiet for quiet, and we have already seen where this leads,” Ben-Gvir wrote in a post on the X website explaining his opposition to the agreement. He predicted that “in the end we will need to return to Lebanon again.” In contrast, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich asserted that “this agreement may guarantee Israel’s security forever.”

Le Figaro: 4 reasons why Israel accepted a ceasefire in Lebanon

Le Figaro reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a ceasefire in Lebanon on Tuesday, saying that the duration of the agreement depends on what happens there, and asked about the military and diplomatic issues that could explain this agreement. To shed light on this, the French newspaper met with researcher David Khalfa, co-director of the North Africa and Middle East Observatory, and responsible for the "geopolitical meetings" of the Jean Jaurès Foundation, to decode this announcement.

Experts to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ceasefire agreement does not prevent Hezbollah from returning to what it was

So far, the contents of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah are still unclear. Does the agreement, which appears to have been divided between Hezbollah and Israel, mean that Hezbollah’s military hand will remain free in Lebanon, despite talk of transforming it into a political party?

Hezbollah will continue its policies

Asharq Al-Awsat posed questions to two American researchers regarding the expected agreement to be signed. Michael Rubin, a senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, expressed his fear that “Hezbollah will continue to maintain its capabilities to continue its policies,” while David Daoud, a senior researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, said that “although the language of the agreement seems stronger than the language of Resolution 1701,” it does not seem sufficient to stop Hezbollah’s activities in the future.

The draft ceasefire agreement includes a 60-day transitional period during which the Israeli army will withdraw from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army will deploy in areas near the border, and Hezbollah will move its heavy weapons north of the Litani River. The deal includes a US-led oversight committee to monitor implementation and address violations.

The ICC and Hezbollah’s Money

“It is true that there has been significant progress, but it is unfortunate that the ICC’s accusations against Netanyahu have shifted these matters in another direction, forcing some mediators in the region to halt direct visits to Jerusalem and prevent Netanyahu from traveling to third countries,” said Michael Rubin. “My greatest concern about Hezbollah is that its financial and criminal network in Africa and South America remains intact. If Hezbollah turns its guns on the rest of the Lebanese, it will have the financial means to support itself,” Rubin added.

According to the agreement, the United States agreed to give Israel a letter of guarantees that includes support for Israeli military action against imminent threats from Lebanese territory, and to take measures to disrupt operations such as the re-establishment of Hezbollah’s military presence near the border, or the smuggling of heavy weapons. Under the agreement, Israel will take such action after consulting with the United States, if the Lebanese army does not deal with the threat.

Israel’s approval is incomprehensible

David Daoud says: “Although the language of the agreement seems stronger than the language of international resolution (1701), the Netanyahu government’s approval of this type of agreement cannot be explained, as long as international law gives the right to any country that is attacked, or sees that there is an imminent attack on it, to respond to it.” He pointed out that “Hezbollah’s breach of the agreement without causing a new imminent war is possible, as it can, for example, build a weapons factory that does not, according to the text of the agreement, constitute a direct threat to Israel.”

“The agreement guarantees Hezbollah’s continued dominance and control over Lebanon in light of the Lebanese people’s inability to confront it, and the Lebanese army’s inability to enter into a war with it, and cause a new civil war,” he said. Daoud believes that “the new reality resulting from the International Criminal Court’s decision against Netanyahu may complicate matters, and the internal Israeli situation may put him in a predicament, which may expose the agreement to collapse... Despite that, we are facing a 60-day agreement, which may give the new Trump administration (credibility) that it has entered an era free of wars in the Middle East, but nothing guarantees that it will not explode again in the coming years if its causes are not (removed).”

Did Israel's war in Lebanon achieve its goals?

Israeli leaders argued that the war was necessary to remove the threat of Hezbollah so that Israelis can return to their settlements in the north. The ceasefire agreement does not include any stipulation that could realize those aims. Hezbollah will not disarm, and at best will be expected to limit its presence south of Litani river. However, given that Hezbollah's rockets reached south of Tell Aviv just days before the ceasefire, 30 miles north of the border will not make any difference. This conclusion is clear in the mind of most Israelis, especially those of the north who are yet to start returning, and they may not return until after the 60 days had passed to see if this 60-day agreement is going to be made permanent. making the agreement permanent may depend on another ceasefire in Gaza; without an end to the war in Gaza, resumption of violence is a possibility and that will prevent many Israelis from returning to the north.  Military solutions rarely produce permanent solutions unless they are followed by a political solution. Israeli leaders have no interest in settling the conflict with the Palestinians in a way that will make wars unnecessary. 

Terms of the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon, home to Lebanon’s Hezbollah

Terms of the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon, home to Lebanon’s Hezbollah

    Tuesday, November 26, 2024   No comments

After meeting with members of his cabinet, Israel's Netanyahu says he supports proposed ceasefire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, according to AP and Israeli media.

 Israeli Media Published the Full Ceasefire Agreement Between Israel and Lebanon, Which Includes the Following Terms:

1. Non-Aggression: Hezbollah and all other armed groups in Lebanon will refrain from initiating any offensive actions against Israel.

2. Israeli Commitment: Israel will abstain from conducting any offensive military operations against targets in Lebanon, whether on land, sea, or air.

3. Resolution 1701: Both nations affirm the significance of adhering to UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

4. Self-Defense: These commitments do not restrict either Israel or Lebanon from exercising their inherent right to self-defense.

5. Authorized Forces: Only Lebanon's official security and military forces are permitted to bear arms or operate in southern Lebanon.

6. Weapons Supervision: The sale, supply, and production of weapons and related materials for Lebanon will be overseen and regulated by the Lebanese government.

7. Dismantling Unauthorized Facilities: All unapproved facilities involved in weapon production or related activities will be dismantled.

8. Confiscation of Unauthorized Weapons: Military infrastructure and positions that do not align with the agreement will be dismantled, and all unauthorized weapons will be seized.

9. Monitoring Committee: A mutually agreed-upon committee will be established to monitor and support the enforcement of these commitments.

10. Reporting Violations: Israel and Lebanon will report any potential violations to the monitoring committee and UNIFIL.

11. Border Security Deployment: Lebanon will deploy its official security and military forces along all borders, crossing points, and within the designated southern region as outlined in the deployment plan.

12. Israeli Withdrawal: Israel will withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line in a phased process over a period of up to 60 days.

13. US-Facilitated Negotiations: The United States will promote indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to establish a mutually recognized land border.

Sistani to the UN representative: We regret the international community's inability to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon

Sistani to the UN representative: We regret the international community's inability to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon

    Monday, November 04, 2024   No comments

The highest religious authority in Iraq, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, stressed today, Monday, the prevention of foreign interventions in all its forms, while expressing his regret for the inability of the international community and its institutions to impose effective solutions to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Sayyid al-Sistani received the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and head of its mission in Iraq (UNAMI) Mohammed al-Hassan and his accompanying delegation. In a statement issued by Sayyid al-Sistani's office, he said that "Sayyid provided a brief explanation of the tasks of the international mission and the role it seeks to play in the coming period. In return, he welcomed the presence of the United Nations in Iraq and wished its mission success in carrying out its tasks."

Sayyid al-Sistani added that "Iraqis - especially the conscious elites - should learn from the experiences they have gone through and do their utmost to overcome their failures and work hard to achieve a better future for their country in which everyone enjoys security, stability, progress and prosperity."

He also stressed that "this cannot be achieved without preparing scientific and practical plans to manage the country based on the principle of competence and integrity in assuming positions of responsibility, preventing foreign interventions in all their aspects, and enforcing the rule of law."

Regarding the volatile situations in our region, Mr. Sistani expressed his "deep sorrow over the ongoing tragedy in Lebanon and Gaza and his deep regret over the inability of the international community and its institutions to impose effective solutions to stop it or at the very least to neutralize civilians from the tragedies of the fierce aggression practiced by the Israeli entity."

For his part, the United Nations representative in Iraq, Mohammed Al-Hassan, confirmed today, Monday, that any infringement on the status of the supreme religious authority represented by Sayyid Ali al-Sistani cannot be accepted.

Al-Hassan said during a press conference following his meeting with Sayyid al-Sistani in Najaf, Iraq: "I was honored to meet His Eminence Sayyid al-Sistani, and I listened to his wisdom and visions for the region and Iraq."

He added, "You know the status of the Sayyid in the Islamic and international worlds, and I am happy with this meeting, and I agreed with His Eminence to work together to enhance the status of Iraq."

Al-Hassan also noted that "Sayyid al-Sistani asked him to implement priorities in the interests of Iraq," expecting that "Iraq will strengthen its relations with its neighbors."

He also stated that "the United Nations is committed to supporting Iraq's priorities and does not interfere except in consultation."

It is noteworthy that Israeli sources published, last month, pictures of leaders Israel assassinated or plans to assassinate and included Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in the list, which angered the Iraqi government.

   

Media review: 'You criminal, you murderer': Residents berate Israeli official at site of deadly rocket attack in Occupied Golan Heights

Media review: 'You criminal, you murderer': Residents berate Israeli official at site of deadly rocket attack in Occupied Golan Heights

    Sunday, July 28, 2024   No comments

As Israeli leaders try to use the deaths among the Druz community to widen its attacks on Hezbollah, Majdal Shams residents expel Smotrich...and refuse to receive Netanyahu. News media reported that the families of those killed in occupied Golan Heights are refusing the meet with Israeli leaders and warn against more violence. Media outlets in the region provided wide coverage of this development which can trigger a regional war. Here is a summary of regional and global media reports on this matter.

The families of the victims of Majdal Shams refused to meet with the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, today, Sunday, according to Israeli media.

The Israeli Channel 13 reported that residents of the town of Majdal Shams "attacked members of the Israeli Likud party who participated in the funeral of the victims of the attack that the town was subjected to yesterday, Saturday."

The Israeli website "Walla" reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich faced protests upon his arrival in the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights to participate in the funeral of the victims.

The participants' protests against the Israeli minister's presence continued until he was expelled from the funeral.

The people of Majdal chanted slogans against Smotrich, saying: "Leave here.. We don't want you here, you murderer. You want to dance on the blood of our children."

Jumblatt commenting on the Majdal Shams incident: We are on the lookout for the occupation’s sedition alongside the resistance

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt stressed on Saturday the need to be aware of what the Israeli occupation is doing to ignite sedition, offering his sincere condolences to the families of the martyrs who died in the occupied Syrian Golan.

Jumblatt said that, in light of Hezbollah's statement denying the Islamic Resistance's involvement in what happened, everyone must be aware of what the enemy is doing to sow sedition, calling on everyone in Lebanon and the occupied Golan to beware of "any slippage or incitement in the context of the enemy's destructive project."

He pointed out that the occupation has been working for a long time to ignite sedition, fragment the region, and target its components, adding: "We have previously thwarted the Israeli project," but "it is rearing its head again, and we are on the lookout for it alongside the resistance and all the resistance fighters."

Jumblatt pointed out that the history and present of the occupation are full of massacres against civilians, adding that what is required is "not to expand the war, and an immediate cessation of aggression and shooting."

He stressed that targeting civilians is unacceptable and condemned, whether in occupied Palestine, the occupied Golan Heights, or in southern Lebanon.

This statement comes after the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah - categorically denied the allegations reported by several Israeli media outlets and various media platforms regarding the targeting of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The incident that took place in the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights yesterday, Saturday, and resulted in the death of 12 people, sparked numerous international and regional reactions ranging from condemnation and calls for restraint to warnings of the expansion of the war in the region.

Despite Hezbollah's denial of responsibility for the incident and its statement that an Israeli interceptor missile fell on Majdal Shams and that it had informed the United Nations of this, Tel Aviv insisted on holding the party responsible and threatened it and Lebanon with "paying a heavy price."

The White House spokesman also accused Hezbollah of carrying out the attack, noting that Washington has been holding ongoing discussions with the Israelis and Lebanese since the incident occurred yesterday and is working on a diplomatic solution to stop the attacks on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had confirmed earlier today that the United States does not want the conflict to expand, saying "we are in dialogue with Israel" on the matter.

He added, "All indications point to the rocket that struck the Golan Heights being from Hezbollah," stressing his country's commitment to supporting Israel's right to defend its citizens against what he described as "terrorist attacks."

He also said that the ceasefire in Gaza would be an opportunity to achieve lasting calm along the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon.

Avoiding escalation

France, in turn, announced its condemnation of the attack, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any military escalation.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed - in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - that Paris is "fully committed to doing everything possible to avoid a new escalation in the region," according to the Elysee.

For his part, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the raid on the occupied Golan Heights, expressing his "deep concern" about the risk of further escalation.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also warned of the risk of opening a new war front with Lebanon following the Majdal Shams strike.

Iran warns

With the escalation of the Israeli threat and intimidation of the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the raids launched by the Israeli occupation army on the Bekaa and southern Lebanon yesterday evening and today at dawn, Iran warned Israel today, Sunday, against attacking Lebanon.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued by its spokesman Nasser Kanaani that Tehran "warns of unexpected repercussions of any new adventures by the Zionist entity towards Lebanon under the pretext of the Majdal Shams incident."

The statement added that "any foolish step by the Zionist entity could lead to the expansion of the scope of the crisis and war in the region."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry continued that Israel seeks, through presenting imaginary scenarios, to confuse public opinion regarding its crimes in Gaza, noting that the Lebanese Hezbollah denied responsibility for bombing the village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan.

Netanyahu and Galant authorized to respond to Hezbollah after Majdal Shams incident

Hebrew sources reported that the Israeli security meeting to discuss the response to Hezbollah has ended, indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant have been authorized to make the decision to respond.

This meeting comes in the context of the incident in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights yesterday, Saturday, where 12 boys were killed in a missile attack that Hezbollah denied any connection to.

According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the security cabinet has determined the target that will be attacked in Lebanon, and said that estimates indicate that it will be limited but its impact will be strong.

Israeli Army Radio reported that security officials have confirmed to the political leadership that the plans in place can be implemented immediately.

It added that Israel is not interested in a comprehensive war with Hezbollah, but rather in dealing it a painful blow only.

Israeli Army Radio had previously said that the army had formulated several possible scenarios for an attack on Lebanon and presented them to the political leadership.

In the same context, the municipal councils of the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee advised residents to stay near shelters after the developments in Majdal Shams.

Media Review: Washington Post | The Israeli army is "exhausted to the core" and the invasion of Lebanon is a trap for an endless war

Media Review: Washington Post | The Israeli army is "exhausted to the core" and the invasion of Lebanon is a trap for an endless war

    Monday, July 15, 2024   No comments

 The American newspaper "Washington Post" reported on Monday that the Israeli "army", exhausted by the war in the Gaza Strip, is now looking with caution at the war on the northern front with Hezbollah.

The newspaper said that Israeli leaders say that they "do not want a war in Lebanon, but they are prepared for any scenario," but now that their resources have been depleted in the war against the Gaza Strip, the soldiers are "exhausted and unprepared for a new front in the north."

The newspaper pointed out that the Israeli war against Hamas "did not lead to its defeat, and Netanyahu is politically besieged and has not yet determined his exit strategy from the war."

The Washington Post also noted that Hezbollah is professional and that "Israel" will face from Lebanon "an enemy that is larger, better armed and more professional than Hamas in the Gaza Strip." The northern settlements remain deserted as pressure from displaced Israelis increases on the government to move to return them.

Israeli military leaders have been developing plans to attack Lebanon for months. Earlier, outgoing War Cabinet member Benny Gantz and others had asked Netanyahu to allow an Israeli incursion into Lebanon in March, but Netanyahu was hesitant.

Hezbollah displays extremely important scenes of military sites and sensitive facilities in Isael: "This is what the hoopoe brought back"

Hezbollah displays extremely important scenes of military sites and sensitive facilities in Isael: "This is what the hoopoe brought back"

    Tuesday, June 18, 2024   No comments

Multiple media outlets, including Aljazeera, reported about the release of drone footage captured by Hezbollah showing many sensitive sites with extreme details. This display of capability might be what prompted France and the US to start a mission to dial down the tension at the border between Hezbollah and Israel.

Regional media outlets reported that the war media of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah, published a very important video clip from the occupied Palestinian territories, under the title "This is what the hoopoe brought back." In a long clip that exceeded 9 and a half minutes, Hezbollah's war media showed scenes of an aerial reconnaissance of areas in northern Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya, Safed Karmiel, Afula, and all the way to Haifa and its port. The scenes included intelligence information about "Israeli" sites inside occupied Palestine, and the scenes showed the drone's arrival at the port of Haifa and what it monitored of sensitive sites in Haifa from the port to the oil refineries and military factories, in addition to the locations of the warships, and important economic sites in the port of Haifa.

Among the sites shown in the scenes is the Rafael Military Industries Complex, a military industrial zone affiliated with Rafael, which includes a large number of factories, warehouses and testing fields, where components of effective air defense systems are manufactured and assembled, especially the Iron Dome and David's Sling.

 The Rafael Military Industries Complex area is considered extremely sensitive and secret, and its total area is 6.5 square kilometers and it is 24 kilometers from the Lebanese border.

 In addition to a complete and high-resolution view of the complex, the scenes clearly showed: - Several Iron Dome platforms, - A rocket engine test tunnel, - Rocket engine warehouses, - Air defense missile warehouses, - Missile component manufacturing facilities, - David's Sling platforms, - Control and guidance systems factories, - The company's administrative buildings, in addition to missile testing radars.

The scenes also showed a real-time, high-resolution tour of the entire Haifa port and the surrounding area.  The scenes accurately showed: -Ship maintenance hangars, -Computing Unit 3800 building of the Haifa Naval Base, -The main warehouse and supply department in the Haifa base basin, -The Deep Sea Missions Unit (Yeltam) building, -Buildings belonging to the submarine unit, -The submarine dock and berth, -The submarine unit command building (Shayetet 7).

 The resistance's war media also monitored warships in the Haifa port, including: -The logistical support ship "Batiyam", -The "Sa'ar 4.5" ships, -The "Devora" boats, -The "Sa'ar 6" ships, -The "Sa'ar 5" ships, -The "Sa'ar 4.5".

 In addition to the "Carmel Pier", -Container ships and work in the port, -The "Mizrahi Pier".

 The party said that the video clip was filmed by its drones that were able to "bypass the enemy's air defense systems and return without being detected by its means."

 The scenes in the video included sensitive Israeli sites, including military bases, weapons and missile stores, seaports, and airports in the city of Haifa, located 27 kilometers from the Lebanese border.

 Before the full video was published, Hezbollah's war media published a promotional clip for the video under the title "Wait for what the hoopoe returned with." The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon attached the clip with the phrase “the first episode,” indicating more scenes that it will show later, confirming that the drone had bypassed the Israeli occupation’s air defenses and returned without being detected.

 Major General Wassef Erekat said that Israel's description of the video as very dangerous confirms the strength of the resistance and its ability to respond in kind and its superiority in the field of accuracy and information.

 Israeli media commented on the Hezbollah video saying, "The new documents are the most disturbing since the beginning of the war, and Haifa can be seen in them."

 The military correspondent for Israel's Channel 14 said that Hezbollah "publishes unusual documents from deep within 'Israeli territory' and shows Israeli targets and even from the port of Haifa and the naval base."

 He added, "The capabilities demonstrated by the Hezbollah organization have left a wide gap between the military and security."

 Earlier, Amos Hochstein, the US President's advisor, warned Israel of a possible Iranian attack that would be difficult to repel due to the ongoing confrontation between Tel Aviv and the Lebanese Hezbollah. This came during his meetings with Israeli officials yesterday, Monday, according to what the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today, Tuesday.

 On Monday, Hochstein visited Tel Aviv as part of efforts to calm the confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon after they escalated significantly last week.

 The American envoy met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, opposition leader Yair Lapid, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

 The Israeli newspaper said that Hochstein warned of the possibility that the war with Hezbollah would lead to a large-scale Iranian attack on Israel that would be difficult for Israeli defense systems to repel, accompanied by the possibility of large-scale fire by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

 It pointed out that Hochstein's visit coincided with Hezbollah's halting of its attacks on Israel on the occasion of Eid al-Adha (which began on Sunday).

 It said, "The American envoy hopes to exploit the period of cessation in the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel to try to set a framework for a future ceasefire agreement between the two sides."

 Before going to Israel, the American envoy met Lebanese leaders and they told him that there is nothing to discuss about the situation at the border without stopping the war in Gaza. US envoy Amos Hochstein confirmed from Beirut that the situation on the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine is extremely dangerous, speaking about continuing efforts to stop the escalation to avoid expanding the war.

 Hochstein said, after meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, that "the dispute on both sides of the Blue Line has continued for a long time, and it is in everyone's interest to stop it," adding that "everyone is concerned with resolving the matter diplomatically."

 He described the situation in Lebanon as "very delicate," considering that "the dispute has gone too far."

 He added that the ceasefire in Gaza ends the war and "opens the way for diplomatic solutions, and this may also put an end to the conflict along the Blue Line," stressing that the calm on the border will allow the return of residents to southern Lebanon.

 Hochstein explained that the talks he held today in Beirut, and yesterday in the occupying entity, "aimed to avoid further escalation and expansion of the war."

 The US envoy discussed with Berri, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, the situation in southern Lebanon, noting that there is an initiative to cease fire in Gaza that includes the release of prisoners. Hochstein said about this initiative that it "has received approval from Israel, Egypt and Qatar, and Hamas must say if it agrees to the initiative," noting that the ceasefire will also extend to Lebanon.

 Following his meeting with the caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, Hochstein said: "We are going through dangerous times and critical moments, and we are working together to try to find ways to reach a place where we prevent further escalation."

 He described the discussions that took place with Mikati, in the presence of Johnson, as "good."

 For his part, Mikati stressed that Beirut is not seeking escalation, announcing that what is required is to stop the Israeli aggression and "return to calm on the southern border."

 He said, "We are continuing to seek to stop the escalation, restore security and stability, and stop the ongoing violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and the systematic killing and destruction committed by Israel."

 Mikati stressed that "the ongoing Israeli threats to Lebanon will not deter us from continuing to seek to establish calm," noting that this is a priority for Lebanon and its "friends."

 In addition, the Commander of the Lebanese Army, General Joseph Aoun, received Hochstein in his office in Yarzeh in the presence of Johnson, and the general situation in the country and the region and developments on the southern border were discussed.

 Hochstein pointed out that he came to Beirut at the request of US President Joe Biden.

The Washington Institute: Hezbollah's popularity and support for Hamas have risen in Lebanon

The Washington Institute: Hezbollah's popularity and support for Hamas have risen in Lebanon

    Wednesday, January 10, 2024   No comments

The American "Washington Institute" conducted an opinion poll in Lebanon, and found that there was an increase in Hezbollah's popularity compared to the last poll conducted in November 2020, and that support for Hamas was more widespread in Lebanese society.

The Institute conducted this survey in the aftermath of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” saga and the escalation between the Israeli forces and Hezbollah, during the period extending from November 14 to December 6.

The Washington Institute poll showed that 79% of the Lebanese express a positive opinion of Hamas, while perceptions of a military solution to the conflict with the occupation, rather than a “political solution,” are much more widespread in Lebanon than in other Arab countries.

As for the position on the United States of America, the poll found that most Lebanese, specifically 71%, do not agree with the idea that Washington “is still in the best position to help end the war in Gaza.”

The institute also noted that there is “a noticeable shift in Lebanese society, away from the United States and towards other powers,” as the percentage of those who agree that their country “cannot rely on the United States these days, and therefore must look more to Russia or China.” As partners, it rose by 17 points.

Some Lebanese politicians and their outside backers may have celebrated too soon

Some Lebanese politicians and their outside backers may have celebrated too soon

    Monday, May 16, 2022   No comments

Maysem Rizq Reviews News coverage of Elections in Lebenon

 

It remains for the Lebanese to preserve their fresh memory to review the winners or losers in everything they said and made during the past two months.

24 hours was enough to turn the picture of the results that the opponents of Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement wanted to circulate on Sunday evening. If Hezbollah (along with its ally, President Nabih Berri) has firmly seized the entire Shiite parliamentary bloc over the whole of Lebanon, what emergped from the developments in the Christian community ended in the absence of the image of victory that the Lebanese forces spread on Sunday evening, and official and unofficial results showed that the current The Free Patriotic Movement won a parliamentary bloc that outperforms the forces bloc. And if the loss of the current in the Jezzine district represented a major blow, the forces’ loss of one of the two seats of Bcharre was a major and unprecedented blow, bearing in mind that scrutiny of vote percentages remains linked to reviewing the full results. A quick reading of the names of the winners from the members of the two teams or those allied with them shows the movement's progress over the forces by at least a seat.

What was remarkable on the day following the count was not only the loss of some Hezbollah allies, including all the Syrian Social Nationalist Party candidates and candidates Talal Arslan, Wiam Wahhab and Marwan Khair al-Din, but rather the ability of youth groups that emerged from the October 17 uprising to achieve serious violations in several circles. It can be said that these groups succeeded in challenging the traditional forces in the south, the Bekaa, the mountains and the north, in addition to Beirut.

Detailed political readings will occupy the scene over the next few days. But what must be confirmed until now is not promising, especially since the voting in most constituencies was based on a sharp sectarian and sectarian background, and even the boycott in many constituencies reflected the frustration of a large part of the Sunnis who represent the base of the Future Movement.

In practice, the official results announced by the Minister of Interior Bassam al-Mawlawi until midnight last night presented the final figures in 12 constituencies, and the official results remained limited to the districts of Tripoli - Minieh - Denniye, Akkar and Beirut II, where it is assumed that the real repercussions of the reluctance of President Saad Hariri's audience in these Sunni-majority districts.

There are many titles related to the main forces that ran in the elections. But the media scene, with its political background, focused on two things. The first relates to the results of voting in the Christian street and the nature of voting among Sunnis in most of Lebanon's districts. In this context, the following can be mentioned:

Tayyar (Current) and Quwat (Forces)

From Sunday evening until sunset yesterday, time was heavy on the audience and leaders of the Free Patriotic Movement. Despite Gibran Bassil winning his seat in Batroun, and declaring his victory over all the political forces and financial machines that had gathered to topple him, the announced results indicated that the movement had lost in front of the forces. This was reflected in frustration among the Aoun public, especially since the forces did not provide a television or radio program or a page on social media to announce their landslide victory and the formation of the largest parliamentary bloc from north to south. It is not just numbers for the movement, but its loss of a set of political privileges that begin with the government and do not end with appointments and key Christian positions in the state as well as sitting at the decision table. The privileges he has been accustomed to since 2005 as a result of his victory in the largest parliamentary bloc, and which mainly led to the arrival of President Michel Aoun to his position. The crash looked strong after 17 years.

In the evening, however, the scene changed. The picture began to fade since it became clear that the movement won four seats in Akkar, followed by the announcement of the victory of MP George Atallah in Koura, and then the forces' loss of the minority seat in Beirut I. This coincided with the struggle of candidate Gad Ghosn with the forces on the Matn seat, and news of the loss of George Adwan in the Chouf in favor of Ghada Eid.

On paper and pen, the Aounists could enumerate 19 deputies, in addition to 3 allied deputies from the Tashnaq Party, so that the bloc would have 22 deputies. While the forces were retreating from 23 to 18, MP Raji Al-Saad was added to them as an ally after MP Camille Chamoun announced that he did not intend to join the bloc of forces, bringing the result to 22 for the current and 19 for the forces. Soon, it became possible to talk about a completely changed picture between the two republics; The Quwatists seemed more anxious, and the Aounists more comfortable, especially with the "violation" of George Atallah in Koura.

However, the biggest blow that the Forces received came after the official result of the third northern district was announced, and the announcement of the fall of the troop candidate Joseph Ishak in exchange for the victory of the candidate William Tawq in the troop den in Bcharre. It is a loss equal to 18 deputies or more. This news sparked a wave of countless comments and publications, the majority of which belong to the Free Patriotic Movement. MP Strida Geagea, prior to the election day, addressed Basil by saying: “Let him stop his neighbors in Batroun on May 15th.” You shook and you became a human being, a rewarder.” Thus, it flared up again between the forces and the current, and it was now possible to talk about the Aounists regaining their breath. In fact, the Free Patriotic Movement will organize a "victory festival" to announce its victory next Saturday. For him, “Exiting this many representatives after all the war that was waged against him, both foreign and internal, and by all available means, including Gulf ambassadors, pressure on candidates, money, propaganda, media, media professionals, and funded programs, is a crushing victory, stronger and stronger than all past victories.”

Results of the Lebanese Parliamentary Elections (partial)

Results of the Lebanese Parliamentary Elections (partial)

    Monday, May 16, 2022   No comments

 

The Lebanese Parliamentary Elections.. Announcing the winning candidates in 12 constituencies

The representatives were distributed among their parties so far, according to the following:

Hezbollah and Amal Movement: 32 deputies

Free Patriotic Movement: 20 deputies

Lebanese Forces Party: 18 deputies

The Kataeb Party: 5 MPs

Tashnak Party: 2

Marada party: 2

Independents: 14 deputies

Civil society: 11 deputies

The Minister of Interior and Municipalities of Lebanon held a press conference at eleven at night in which he announced the preliminary and non-final percentages of the parliamentary elections that took place in the 15 constituencies on all Lebanese territories. And the Lebanese National News Agency reported that the minister said, in an on-screen explanation, that "the percentages are estimates and are not final, and they are issued by the operations room in the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces after the officers communicated with the heads of the regions in all regions. There are 60 unfinished positions remaining. Some have been handed over. The heads of the centers, the registration committees, the records of the pens, according to what we received from the directorate, and he said: "They are discretionary percentages, and they become final after looking into all the objections submitted by the candidates or the candidates' representatives, and we will follow up on the final result little by little."

Minister Mawlawi read out the estimated voting percentages after closing the polls, with the exception of 60 polling stations, which are as follows:

Beirut First District: 28.50%

Beirut Second District: 38.33%

Mount Lebanon First District (Byblos - Kesrouane): 55.93%

Mount Lebanon Second District (Matn): 42.70%

Mount Lebanon Third District (Baabda): 43.44%

Mount Lebanon Fourth District (Chouf - Aley): 44.49%

South District One (Sidon - Jezzine): 42.30%

Second South District (Sidon Villages - Tyre): 42.77%

South District Three: (Hasbaya - Marjeyoun - Nabatiyeh - Bint Jbeil): 41.76%

North District One (Akkar): 40.73%

Second North District (Minya - Denniye - Tripoli): 30.60%

North Third District (Zgharta - Bcharre - Koura - Batroun): 38.45%

Bekaa District One (Zahle): 43.02%

Second Bekaa Constituency (Rashaya - West Bekaa): 34.20%

Bekaa Third District (Baalbek-Hermel): 48.90%

Total in all of Lebanon: 41.04%

Parliamentary elections are held in Lebanon every 4 years, according to the distribution adopted since the Taif Agreement in 1989, with 128 seats divided equally between Muslims and Christians throughout the country.

The 128 seats are distributed as follows: 28 for Sunnis, 28 for Shiites, 8 for Druze, 34 for Maronites, 14 for Orthodox, 8 for Catholics, 5 for Armenians, two seats for Alawites, and one seat for minorities within the Christian community.

Some details:

According to Mawlawi, the voter turnout in the second district of Mount Lebanon (Northern Matn) reached 49.43%, and the winners are:

Two seats for the Free Patriotic Movement: Ibrahim Kanaan and Elias Bou Saab.

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: Melhem Riachy and Razi al-Hajj.

Two seats for the Lebanese Kataeb Party: Sami Gemayel and Elias Hankash.

A seat for the Tashnaq party: Hagop Pakradounian.

Independent seat: Michel Murr.

As for the fourth district of Mount Lebanon (Chouf - Aley), the voter turnout reached 48.6%, and the winners are:

5 seats for the Progressive Socialist Party: Taymour Jumblatt, Marwan Hamadeh, Akram Chehayeb, Bilal Abdullah and Raji Al-Saad.

3 seats for the Free Patriotic Movement: Farid Al-Bustani, Cesar Abi Khalil and Ghassan Atallah.

3 independent seats: Najat Khattar Aoun, Halima Kaqour and Mark Daou.

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: George Adwan and Nazih Matta.

In the third district of the North (Bcharre - Batroun - Zgharta - Koura), the voter turnout was 44.20%. The winners are:

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: Sethrida Geagea and Ghiath Yazbek.

Two seats for the Free Patriotic Movement: Gebran Bassil and George Atallah.

Two seats for the Marada Movement: Tony Franjieh and William Tawk.

3 seats for independents: Michel Moawad, Adib Abdel Massih and Michel Douaihy.

As for the third district of the South (Bint Jbeil - Nabatiyeh - Marjayoun and Hasbaya), the winners are:

3 seats for Hezbollah: Muhammad Raad, Hassan Fadlallah and Ali Fayyad.

6 seats for the Amal Movement: Hani Qubaisi, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ayoub Hamid, Ashraf Baydoun, Nasser Jaber and Qassem Hashem.

Two seats for independents: Elias Jarada and Firas Hamdan.

Molloy had announced, earlier, the results of the following departments:

- South District One (Sidon - Jezzine), the voter turnout was 46.6%, and the winners are:

3 seats for independents: Abdel Rahman Al-Bizri, Osama Saad and Charbel Massad.

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: Ghada Ayoub and Saeed Al-Asmar.

In the second district of the South (Tyre - Sidon villages), the voter turnout was 48.8%, and the winners are:

5 seats for the Amal Movement: Nabih Berri, Ali Khreis, Inayat Ezzedine, Ali Oseiran and Michel Musa.

Two seats for Hezbollah: Hussein Jashi and Hassan Ezzedine.

Bekaa District One (Zahle), the voter turnout was 49.5%, and the winners are:

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: George Akis and Elias Stephan.

Seat of the Free Patriotic Movement: Salim Aoun.

A seat for the Tashnaq Party: George Bushekian.

A seat for Hezbollah: Rami Abu Hamdan.

Independent seat: Michel Daher.

The Second Bekaa Constituency (West Bekaa - Rashaya), the voter turnout was 42.47%, and the winners are:

A seat for the Amal movement: Qabalan Qabalan.

Seat of the Progressive Socialist Party: Wael Abu Faour.

Seat of the Free Patriotic Movement: Charbel Maroun.

3 independent seats: Hassan Murad, Yassin Yassin and Ghassan Skaf.

In the third Bekaa constituency (Baalbek-Hermel), the winners are:

Six seats for Hezbollah: Hussein Al-Hajj Hassan, Ihab Hamadeh, Ali Al-Miqdad, Ibrahim Al-Mousawi, Yall Al-Solh, and Melhem Al-Hujairi.

Seat for the Amal Movement: Ghazi Zuaiter.

Seat of the Free Patriotic Movement: Samer Al-Tom.

Seat of the Lebanese Forces: Antoine Habashi.

Seat for Independents: Jamil El-Sayed.

- Mount Lebanon First Constituency (Byblos - Kesrouan), the voter turnout was 63.4%, and the winners are:

Two seats for the Lebanese Forces party: Ziad Al-Hawat and Shawki Daccache.

Two seats for the Free Patriotic Movement: Simon Abi Ramia and Nada Al-Bustani.

Two seats for independents: Nima'a Afram and Farid Haikal El-Khazen.

Seat of the Lebanese Kataeb Party: Salim Al-Sayegh.

A seat for Hezbollah: Raed Berro.

- Mount Lebanon Third District (Baabda), the voter turnout was 47.39%, and the winners are:

Seat of the Lebanese Forces Party: Pierre Bou Assi.

Seat of the Free Patriotic Movement: Alain Aoun.

Seat of the Progressive Socialist Party: Hadi Abul-Hassan.

Seat of the National Liberal Party: Camille Chamoun.

A seat for Hezbollah: Ali Ammar.

A seat for the Amal movement: Fadi Alama.

Thus, the Ministry of Interior has announced the results of 11 constituencies, provided that the results of the remaining four constituencies (Beirut's first and second districts and the first and second districts of the North) will be announced, respectively. The voter turnout in all of Lebanon reached about 41%, noting that the voter turnout in the 2018 session was 49.68%.

Saudi Arabia: The Hariri and Khashoggi files are an example of media failure

Saudi Arabia: The Hariri and Khashoggi files are an example of media failure

    Friday, November 05, 2021   No comments

 

Exactly four years ago, Saad Hariri spent his first night in detention in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, by order of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The latter was in the process of carrying out a coup in Lebanon, re-shuffling the cards in the Levant. After this coup failed inside Lebanon, Western and Arab countries intervened to rescue Hariri from captivity and return him to Beirut.

Bin Salman did not preach, and repeated the crime a year later, in his country's consulate in Istanbul, where Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. No one in the world objected to what the Rising Prince had done within the confines of his kingdom. But the two crimes of kidnapping Hariri and killing Khashoggi left him in more embarrassment than the aggression on Yemen. The crime that a besieged people has been subjected to, continuously for more than six years, is being waged by Ibn Salman with full Western support, breached from time to time by slight criticism from American or European officials, while they leave their official positions, or when they want to blackmail the milking cow in Riyadh.

Hariri's kidnapping crime was the basis. The Saudi crown prince did not pay for it, which encouraged him to commit others. Khashoggi's murder may have been a direct result of bin Salman's impunity after he kidnapped the prime minister of a supposedly sovereign country in the twenty-first century. It can also be concluded that the failure to hold him accountable, even verbally, for his actions on November 4, 2017, made him dare to repeat the coup attempt in Jordan, where he could not invoke confronting the non-existent Iranian influence, nor fighting Hezbollah and its arsenal. Today, it is opening a new chapter of recklessness in Lebanon, by punishing it and seeking to bring about political change in it, through blackmail and threats, under the pretext of statements made by a media person who happened to become, after that, the Minister of Information. George Kordahi's case is also based on the passing of the crime that took place four years ago, without any blame. The former Lebanese prime minister acted like a Saudi citizen, seeking the consent of the guardian, by all possible means. But the problem was that official Lebanon had also given up its right. Despite the passage of four years since bin Salman’s aggression, the authority agreed to be in the position of the accused, not the accused, which prompted the Saudi regime to carry out more attacks on the “younger brother”: the Lebanese security services help their Saudi counterparts in the fight against drugs, so the reward is penalties in the commercial field . (Former) Foreign Minister Charbel Wahba makes a verbal mistake against Saudi Arabia, so he is forced to resign. George Qardahi says a word of truth about the criminal war on Yemen, so Ibn Salman decides to punish the whole of Lebanon.

The problem is not so much with the emir's recklessness as it is with the authority that has made Lebanon a country "with low walls". The strong performance of that authority in November 2017, which eventually led to the release of the prime minister, was quickly wasted in the following days. The crime of kidnapping Hariri, humiliating him and forcing him to resign, was an occasion to correct part of the distortion in the dysfunctional relationship between the Saudi regime and Lebanon. The latter was not required to wage war, but rather his duty was to manage the post-crisis phase in a manner that preserves the country's rights and dignity, and deters Ibn Salman from repeating his crime. Leaving him in this way, he turned the crime of kidnapping the prime minister, as was the killing of Khashoggi later, into a public relations problem that Ibn Salman addresses by spending some money on image-improving companies, and encouraging him to make Lebanon a servile country that obeys his orders. As usual, official Lebanon is looking for a way to acquiesce again, ignoring that whoever kidnapped a prime minister one day, without anyone questioning him, will repeat it in the coming days. This is the conclusion that Najib Mikati should be aware of today, while he is talking about “predominantly the national interest.” Achieving this “interest” by conceding to bin Salman again and again means placing the neck of the concessioner between two future options: slapping and kicking at the Ritz-Carlton, or sawing off in a consulate.

__________

Source: Alakhbar

Bin Salman kidnaps Lebanon and asks the Gulf states to exert maximum political and commercial pressure: Saudi Arabia is losing in Marib and attacking in Beirut

Bin Salman kidnaps Lebanon and asks the Gulf states to exert maximum political and commercial pressure: Saudi Arabia is losing in Marib and attacking in Beirut

    Saturday, October 30, 2021   No comments

Media Review: Lebanon in the News

Just like on November 4, 2017, the day Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman decided to kidnap the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, and force him to resign. Yesterday, Bin Salman decided to kidnap the entire Lebanese government, and force it to kneel before him, or to leave, under the pretext of statements made by Minister of Information George Qardahi, before his appointment as a minister, in which he criticized the aggression on Yemen. And as 4 years ago, so was last night. As soon as the Saudi regime announced the withdrawal of its ambassador from Beirut, the expulsion of the Lebanese ambassador in Riyadh, and the cessation of imports from Lebanon, the same media outlets, and the politicians themselves, went out to cover the madness of Ibn Salman and his decision to pressure Lebanon and push it into submission. For example, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea - who was the only politician whom the Saudi ambassador, Walid al-Bukhari, visited publicly before announcing his withdrawal from Beirut - delivered a clear threat to the Lebanese: “There is a very big rolling crisis between the Gulf states and the Lebanese government. The current government majority is called upon to take a quick, decisive and clear decision to spare the Lebanese people more tragedies.” Meanwhile, former MP Walid Jumblatt was clearer than Geagea, in terms of his demand for the dismissal of "this minister who will destroy our relations with the Gulf."

Sources linked to the Saudi regime confirmed that Riyadh wants to overthrow the government of Najib Mikati, so either the latter and his government submit, with what this means by opening the door for concessions that will not stop at an end, or he resigns. The new Saudi position seems to have taken statements made by Minister Qardahi, before the formation of the government, as a pretext to attack Lebanon, due to the failure of Ibn Salman's forces in Yemen, specifically in the battle of Marib. In its statement in which it announced the withdrawal of its ambassador from Beirut and the expulsion of the Lebanese ambassador in Riyadh, the Saudi government repeated lies about Lebanon's lack of cooperation with it in the field of drug control, despite the fact that the majority of drug seizures in Saudi ports are based on information from the Lebanese security services. But the most important thing in the statement is the repetition of talk about Hezbollah and its “control” of Lebanon, and “providing support and training for the terrorist Houthi militia.”

Saudi Arabia's decision to escalate in Lebanon will be joined by other Gulf states, the first of which was, as usual, Bahrain, which at night copied Riyadh's measures (expulsion of the Lebanese ambassador). While it was reported that Qatar and Oman would not trade with Saudi Arabia, Riyadh decided to conduct a series of contacts with other Arab countries in an attempt to take a decision in the Arab League against Lebanon!

What happened remains within the framework of a new adventure for bin Salman, unless the United States and France decide to adopt it. In that case, Lebanon will face a major decision to drag it into total chaos, which supports the argument of those convinced of it, the US sanctions decision issued the day before yesterday against Representative Jamil Al-Sayed and businessmen Jihad Al-Arab and Danny Khoury. However, the information that was available yesterday indicated that American and French contacts with Mikati, urging him not to resign, with “the need to address the emerging problem with Saudi Arabia.”

Mikati rushed to contact the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun. After a statement expressing his regret for the Saudi decision, he called Minister Qardahi and "asked him to assess the national interest and take the appropriate decision to reform Lebanon's Arab relations," according to a statement issued by the prime minister's office. This statement means an encouragement from Mikati to Qardahi to resign. Prior to that, Hezbollah had informed the Prime Minister that any attempt to dismiss the Minister of Information in the Council of Ministers (this decision requires two-thirds of the members of the government) would mean the resignation of the party's ministers. Attempts were made to put pressure on former MP Suleiman Franjieh, as he named Qardahi to the ministry, but the Marada leader refused to pressure the minister and push him to resign. Pending what the Minister of Information will decide, the Prime Minister decided not to cut short his visit to Scotland, where he is participating in the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Sources in contact with the Saudi authorities said that Riyadh has informed its allies in Lebanon since the day before yesterday that it is in the process of escalating steps against Lebanon. In parallel, the Saudis expressed their “disappointment” that the reactions to Qardahi’s words were limited to statements of denunciation, amid expectations that ministers affiliated with the Future Movement and the Socialist Party would resign from the government, as well as popular movements in a number of Lebanese regions denouncing what Qardahi had made. .

The sources pointed out that Saudi Arabia, which heard requests slowly from Qatar and Kuwait, hastened to take its steps and is awaiting similar measures soon from others, especially the United Arab Emirates, which had not announced any action.

In addition to these steps, Saudi Arabia appeared to be acting very angry, and the callers said that Saudi diplomacy was talking about a failure in the Iranian-Saudi negotiations on Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. Riyadh has sought with Damascus, through the Emirati side, to play a role in the Yemen file and in the Lebanon file as well, in return for Riyadh helping to return Syria to the Arab League and communicating with the Europeans and Americans to open the door for aid in the reconstruction process.

As for the position of the allies in Lebanon, the Saudi side deliberately limited the ambassador’s visits to Geagea without other prominent leaders, and that he clearly expressed the continuation of the estrangement with Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the Future Movement, and that Riyadh will not ask the latter for any step “and he knows what must be done.” doing it".

Bin Salman kidnaps Lebanon and asks the Gulf states to exert maximum political and commercial pressure: Saudi Arabia is losing in Marib and attacking in Beirut

______________

Source: «الأخبار»