Alwaght- After years of negotiations on demarcation of maritime borders, the Israeli regime and Lebanon agreed on a mechanism last week, and informed sources suggested that a final deal will be signed soon with an American mediation. The agreement on the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean was not easy to obtain, and considering all aspects, we can claim that during the talks Lebanon was in a weaker position and everything went in favor of the Israeli side to seize all of the shared gas reserves.
In the past three years, Lebanon went through many crises in the economic, political and security fields, and the country, which was once dubbed the ‘bride of the Middle East”, was so plagued with problems that people began to struggle for basic living. During this period, the army was weakened due to the cut-off of military aids from Saudi Arabia and the West, and in the event of a war between this country and the Israeli regime, it was practically unable to defend the country's territorial integrity. Things went so worse that the military had difficulty paying its personnel, causing dissatisfaction among the armed forces.
Also, since 2019, the country has been grappling with a massive economic crisis that triggered protests. The US, in support of the Israeli regime and in order to paint Hezbollah as the main cause of Lebanon's internal crises, had imposed sanctions on the country, and these financial pressures had completely paralyzed the Lebanese economy. Also, Saudi Arabia, in line with Washington's policies, cut off its funding to the Lebanese government and stood on the Western-Israeli front, intensifying Lebanon's economic crisis. Arab states' pressures on Beirut increased after the Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticized the Saudi coalition's war on Yemen. His criticism stirred a diplomatic crisis and reduction of diplomatic representation levels between Beirut and the Persian Gulf Arab monarchies. Therefore, the Arab countries that had started normalization with the Israeli regime since 2020, by moving away from Lebanon, served Tel Aviv more for the good of realization of its interests in the maritime border demarcation negotiations. With a collapsed economy that obsessed all the Lebanese, no one thought about foreign policy and the border negotiations at all, and this issue was actually put on the back burner. Such a situation provided a good opportunity for Washington and Tel Aviv to foist their demands on the Lebanese government, because a government with empty coffers could sacrifice everything to get out of the critical situation in return for trivial interests.
In addition to the security and economic weakness, continuation of political crisis was a cause of concerns for all. Since Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in 2019 with the aim of dealing a blow to Hezbollah, Beirut was devoid of a strong government. For a year, Hassan Diab took the PM post but a failure by the political forces to back his agenda rendered his government ineffective, even in terms of home affairs. This weak cabinet could not talk to the Israeli regime from a strong position. Although with the inauguration of the cabinet of Najib Mikati, who still holds the post, some believed that a stronger cabinet would be formed to earn the right for Lebanon to use its natural resources, but Mikati's cabinet was a mere cabinet, sitting on its hands and watching the internal and foreign developments unfolding. Political instability during his period heightened to the point where political groups went to early parliamentary elections in May 2022 in order to get out of the political crisis. But after five months, a government is yet to be formed in the country because of political differences and formally there has been no government to defense Lebanese rights.
Hezbollah a savior of Lebanon
Perhaps until a few months ago, no one could imagine that the Israeli regime that held an upper hand at all levels over Lebanon could fall to its knees and ceded to a deal more favorable to Beirut than to Tel Aviv. Such a victory was out of reach if it was not for the military power of Hezbollah and the well-calculated plans of its Secretary-General Sayed Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah, which considers itself the guarantor of Lebanese security, took action in critical conditions and bravely accepted the consequences of engaging with a usurping enemy. Sayed Nasrallah warned that Tel Aviv will not be allowed to use these resources as long as Lebanon's interests are not secured.
After three reconnaissance drones were sent over Israeli gas field in Karish, Tel Aviv officials received Hezbollah message and did not hesitate to avoid tensions. They immediately reached out to the American mediator to resume the talks. After several rounds of indirect talks between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations with the mediation of the American representative, finally Tel Aviv agreed to Beirut’s conditions, with Lebanon owing its victory to Hezbollah and its arms.
Sayed Nasrallah’s warnings spread such a horror in the occupied territories that Israeli politicians and media outlets admitted that Hezbollah chief does what he promises and further admitted that the movement secured a victory against Tel Aviv.
Although the West and some Arab sheikdoms in the Persian Gulf and their pawns inside Lebanon have repeatedly claimed in recent years that in order for Lebanon to enjoy peace, Hezbollah must lay down its weapons and leave the country's security to the army, the border agreement proved that if it was not for Hezbollah's power, the Israelis would not have given Lebanon its rights. To put it differently, Hezbollah became the protector of the interests of the Lebanese people and the savior of this country, and a great victory was achieved for the movement. Actually, it was proven to the political factions opposed to Hezbollah that if the movement does not have weapons, Lebanon will not have security, and insisting on this demand only serves the country's enemies that are determined to destroy it.
The victory in the maritime border negotiations is the biggest victory of Hezbollah against the Israeli enemy since 2006, demonstrating that the Lebanese people will not give in to pressures and that Hezbollah stands by them with all its might and can take back their usurped rights.
Hezbollah proved that while some parties want its disarming, it was thanks to its arms that Lebanon secured this triumph. Hezbollah knows something very well: Tel Aviv only knows the language of force and other options do not work with it. Not only Hezbollah but also Palestinian groups and other branches of the Axis of Resistance insist that the Israelis only know the language of force. Hezbollah and the Palestinians were top to talk to the Israeli occupation with a language of force.
Hezbollah defended the Lebanese interests against the Israeli excesses without any expectations and highlighted defense of people as a duty. Its popularity among the Lebanese has increased sharply in recent years and it even doubled with the new victory. There is a secret for this popularity: Hezbollah has never had a sectarian vision treating all Lebanese civilians fairly. Actually, for the resistance forces, Shiites, Sunnis, and Maronite Christians are equal and all ethno-sectarian groups together make up Lebanon's nation who should cooperate for their country's glory. In addition to military affairs, Hezbollah has also made extra efforts to secure political stability and settle economic crises in Lebanon, and has always declared its readiness to help solve political stalemates and livelihood problems.
After this victory, the Israeli officials will not cast their eyes on Lebanon's territory and always remember Sayed Nasrallah's warning that if they make a mistake, resistance forces are ready to make them regret their miscalculation.
