[96881] Tension surrounding Israeli-Lebanese negotiations: Hezbollah threatens and opposes arrangements

Tension surrounding Israeli-Lebanese negotiations: Hezbollah threatens and opposes arrangements

The fifth round of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon opened this morning in Washington, accompanied by intense internal political opposition in Lebanon. Kan 11 | Arab-Palestinian Desk reports that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has announced the opposition of the Shiite parties, Hezbollah and Amal, to "test zones" as proposed in the Washington Declaration, for fear they will lead to direct confrontation between the Lebanese Army and the terrorist organization.

At the same time, Abu Ali Express quotes Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah's political council, clarifying that the organization is on "full alert" and will not agree to any understanding that leaves IDF forces on Lebanese soil. Hezbollah officials went even further, labeling the very act of holding negotiations in Washington as "negotiations of humiliation," according to a report on Kan 11.

In the international arena, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the US is conducting negotiations with the sovereign Lebanese government, while addressing the Iranian issue as the financier of Hezbollah, a position covered extensively by Asrar Lubnan | Secrets of Lebanon. Conversely, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Ragi expressed concern about his country becoming a bargaining chip between powers, noting that Lebanon seeks to preserve the independence of its negotiation channel from the American-Iranian track.

Sharp criticism was also heard from Nadim Gemayel, a Lebanese Member of Parliament from the Christian party, who questioned the legitimacy of Iran to speak on behalf of Lebanon. According to him, as published in Iran News, "Lebanon's unity is not guaranteed by Tehran," and he warned against a situation in which the country's fate is decided at tables where no Lebanese representatives are sitting.