Green light and demarcation of Iran in Lebanon … a “payment on the bill”



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Given the impact of an internal battering ram on the authority of the President of the Republic to form the Lebanese delegation and a “formal” objection from the Shiite duo, Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, on the negotiating delegation, the way they sit, the commemorative photo and the possibilities of communication between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations, yesterday Wednesday the first session of indirect negotiations on the demarcation of borders was held. The Lebanese-Israeli navy is under the auspices of the United Nations and mediated by the United States of America at the UNIFIL peacekeepers headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon. The second round will take place in two weeks.

The division of the people of a line.

This historical event came full of paradoxes, since it generated a “coldness” among people of the same political line, specifically between the Shiite duo and the presidency of the republic, which was translated into a joint opposition statement issued by the party and the movement. The Lebanese delegation, made up of the military and a civilian (who is a member of the Petroleum Administration), was found to be in violation of the agreement. Because it damages Lebanon’s position and represents a recognition of the Israeli logic that wishes to obtain any form of normalization.

Commenting on the statement of the Shiite duo, the former coordinator of the forces of “March 14”, Faris Saeed to Al-Arabiya, considered that this statement confirms that there is division of roles and there is no disagreement between Hezbollah and the Amal movement over one side and his ally, the President of the Republic, who, on the other hand, implements what the party wants, as evidence. It was broadcast at dawn yesterday (around 1:40 in the morning), which means that it came to “lay the blame” and not to influence the President of the Republic in terms of changing the form of the Lebanese negotiating delegation .

Recognition of Israel

Similarly, political researcher Dr. Makram Rabah told Al-Arabiya that the formalities that the Shiite duo oppose, specifically Hezbollah, are nothing more than face-saving after its recognition of Israel and its acceptance. of negotiations with him.

This formal objection, as Saeed and Rabah described it, was put by sources close to the Amal movement in the category of “cutting off the Israeli road to political gain.” What is important to us is the unity of the internal position at this historical moment to preserve our rights and not political investment.

He denied knowing the reasons and antecedents for Aoun’s insistence on including a civilian figure in the negotiating military delegation. However, he hinted, on the other hand, that the delegation could be modified in the second round after two weeks to be “exclusively” military.

However, the most prominent paradox of the demarcation negotiations is that it comes before next month’s US elections and the bet of the administration of President Donald Trump to collect as many electoral documents as possible in the “profit box.” .

Is Iran negotiating with the United States?

In the context, Saeed considered that “the demarcation confirms that Iran has entered into negotiations with the United States of America and that it has asked the Lebanese parties to adhere to its interest in reserving a seat for it for dialogue with the new US administration” .

“The demarcation is an Iranian decision to implement a Lebanese one, aimed at improving the conditions for Iran’s negotiations with the new US administration, regardless of the identity of the next president,” he said.

The Wand of Punishment does its job

For his part, Rabah considered that “the American” has “triumphed” through the policy of the sanctions stick that he raises over the heads of Iran, Hezbollah and their allies to win the border demarcation file, in addition to Israel, which it was launching air strikes against military centers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah in Syria. .

“Normalization between Lebanon and Israel will not take place until Iran pays its price, be it through a new nuclear or profit deal in the region, while awaiting the results of the US elections,” he added.

Payment on account
In turn, the director of the “East Institute for Strategic Affairs”, Sami Nader, told Al-Arabiya that the demarcation negotiations are a boost in Tehran’s account of Washington under the pressure of sanctions, and that he has established new rules of engagement with the United States through demarcation.

Nader also considered that “the framework agreement weakens Hezbollah’s narrative on not recognizing Israel and the resistance and liberating Jerusalem, because by negotiating with Israel, even indirectly, it recognized it as a state.”

Perhaps most importantly in the demarcation negotiations, according to Nader, “will confirm the importance of international decisions with the signing of Hezbollah.”

Gas pipelines

The Lebanese are counting on ending the border dispute so that the state can benefit from the natural wealth agreement in the disputed economic zone with Israel, which amounts to about 856 square kilometers of water.

In 2018, Lebanon signed its first contract to explore gas and oil in its territorial waters, with a consortium of companies that includes Total from France, Eni from Italy and Novatek from Russia. The agreed exploration areas include two maritime zones, one of which is in dispute with Israel.

In addition, Nader believed that “demarcation negotiations are the mandatory step for oil extraction, since Lebanon cannot benefit from gas pipelines to market its stocks if the demarcation agreement with Israel is not resolved, so it is not possible to go to the International Monetary Fund and sign a rescue program with it before tackling the border dispute. “

For his part, the international oil expert, Rudi Baroudi, told Al-Arabiya.net, “The Lebanese position is strong with negotiations and armed with laws, because unlike Israel, it is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea “.

He also indicated that “Lebanon’s share of gas will be greater than 70% and, once the negotiations are completed, Lebanon will be able to demarcate the three border points between it and Israel and Cyprus.”

Source: Arabic

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