UNENDING CONFLICTS AND WARS.....

 

Arab News published a new report discussing Lebanon And its current situation, especially in light of the Israeli continuation of its attacks and military operations against the country, the report said that "Lebanon should focus on achievable goals."

 
The report, translated by "Lebanon24 ," states that "amidst this tense regional climate, one wonders if Lebanon will offer a glimmer of hope," and continues: "This is a country and a people who have suffered greatly as a result of war."Syrian war". This led to a refugee crisis, as well as an economic collapse, not to mention the port explosion. Beirut Israel's war in 2023-2024."

The report noted that "Lebanese people need real relief," but at the same time asked: "What is the reason for optimism in the country? For various reasons, a pivotal moment may soon come in which a weak and fragile state can assert its sovereign control and break free from the aggressive ambitions of external powers, primarily Israel and Iran."

 

It continued: “Firstly, Lebanon, represented by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who have been in power for about a year, has a ruling duo that enjoys broad credibility at the local, regional and international levels. But this situation may not last, so the two need support that is not only economic, but also political.”

 

It added: "Secondly, in its efforts to consolidate the role of the state, non-governmental actors must relinquish some of their positions and respect this role, and this represents a weakness for "Hezbollah" This is a golden opportunity to achieve that. Indeed, the assassination of the party's charismatic leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who led the party for a long time, and many of his aides, damaged the organization's standing, whose military capabilities have clearly declined in the war

with Israel, and it has also lost a key ally in the Assad regime.

The report concluded that "Hezbollah is no longer capable of deterring Israel, but has become a primary target of attacks by Israel, it continued, "Also, Iran no longer retains its former strength thanks to the US sanctions regime and last year's June war. In reality, Iran can no longer provide its allies, including Hezbollah, with the same weapons, training, and funding it once did. At the same time, Iran still maintains considerable influence over Hezbollah, but it has more pressing domestic concerns.

Furthermore, the report states that "the Israeli leadership, as with Gaza, is having difficulty understanding what a ceasefire with Lebanon entails," and continues: "According to a report of the United Nations In Lebanon, Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2014 more than 10,000 times, and has repeatedly targeted the UN agency itself. These violations have escalated in recent months, leading some to wonder whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning another large-scale attack on Lebanon in an Israeli election year.

It added: "What will encourage the Prime Minister of Israel, It is the lack of international response to these violations. It is true that Some US steps have been taken in this direction, but not with the full force that the US president's administration can muster, or the president can use. Instead of condemning the attacks on UNIFIL forces, the Security Council stipulated that its mandate would end at the end of 2026, largely at the insistence of the United States, which is a reckless decision given the history of these borders and the wars and clashes that turned in this small area clearly demonstrate the need for a multinational presence."

It continued: “To take advantage of this limited opportunity, key international actors must pressure Israel to fulfill its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, including UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This means a complete withdrawal from the five hills occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon. This withdrawal should be implemented immediately, and if it is not, a suitable timetable should be set for it as a minimum.”

It continued: "The United States has led efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and that makes sense. Likewise, the Lebanese state should... and exercise full monopoly on the use of force, and Hezbollah has undermined this right for a long time."

It said: “But the Lebanese government faces a real dilemma. Removing weapons from south of the Litani River is one thing, and completely disarming Hezbollah without a political agreement is quite another. All parties should be careful not to drag the Lebanese army into a military confrontation with Hezbollah, as it is unlikely to achieve victory. Also, it is crucial that the army has the credibility of a national institution that protects all communities.”

It said: “Some political offer must be made to Hezbollah regarding how to integrate its fighters into the country’s armed forces, while Shiite communities will demand guarantees that they will not be harmed politically and economically. In return, the Israeli government and the United States are pressuring Lebanon to agree to normalization, and Israeli officials have sought to hold inter-ministerial meetings instead of the ceasefire mechanism as a means of moving towards full relations. The United States has even had to allay concerns by emphasizing the continuation of this mechanism.”

The report argued that "normalization should not be rushed," stating that "Lebanon is a frontline state, has been invaded by Israel many times, and its territory has been occupied for long periods, while the Lebanese people are not yet ready for that."

In contrast, the report found that "reaching a security agreement between Lebanon and Israel may be possible," noting that "a final demarcation of the borders is also possible," and concluded: "Therefore, it is better to focus on what can be achieved rather than being preoccupied with illusions."

A good analysis reporting the very factual situation between Lebanon, Israel and consequently Hezbollah, retranslated to fit our blog and to help better understand the hairy situation over that part of the world.

A Lesson from Noam Chomsky about Israel and Iran and the entire M-E region.

All Human Rights Abuses Are Equally Wrong. But We’re More Responsible for Those We Help Commit....

As always, my many thanks to all.