بعد الترسيم البحري… صخور “تدرّ دولارات” في لبنان

الاثنين 14 تشرين ثاني 2022

المصدر: الميادين نت

عبدالله ذبيان 

رحلة “الميادين نت” للبحث عن صخور “الحمّر” في باطن الأرض اللبنانية متشعبة حيث استغرق البحث عنها ساعات طويلة…. لا ضير فالمطلوب هو “العثور على “كنزٍ دفين” في الصخور النفيسة، ما يشي بوجود بترول، كما يقول الباحثون والمتابعون.

ما قصة البترول المجّمد داخل الصخور في لبنان؟ (غرافيك اسماعيل آغا – حسين بلحص)

لبنان عائم على “بحرٍ” من الثروات.. منها الطبيعية والمائية والأثرية، وصولاً إلى الغازية فالبترولية، لكنه يعيش  وضعاً اقتصادياً صعباً، وفي منطقة مضطربة سياسياً وعسكرياً، والتهديدات الإسرائيلية قائمة على الدوام.

وعلى مدى عقود خلت، أغفلت الحكومات اللبنانية المتعاقبة- عن قصد أو غير قصد –  ملف الثروات، وقد يقول قائل إن هنالك أيادٍ خارجية كانت تدفع إلى ذلك!

  قوة لبنان…. أنقذت الغاز!

في أتون ما يحيق بلبنان من أزمات اقتصادية ومعيشية، كان لا بد من شقّ كوّة أمل…ولو بالقوة!

“أقول للبنانيين إننا أصبحنا أمام موضوع يجب أن يتحوّل إلى قضية لبنانية كبرى، وأمامنا ثروة هائلة تقدّر بمئات الملايين وهي ملك للشعب اللبناني”. 

الكلام  هذا كان للأمين العام لحزب الله السيّد حسن نصر الله، في 25 أيار/ مايو 2022.

 بعد ذلك كرّت السبحة:  المقاومة ترسل مسيّراتها الثلاث فوق حقل “كاريش”، الاحتلال يستنفر، شركات النفط العالمية تكبح جماح عملياتها، العواصم الكبرى التي تنوء تحت تأثير ما يجري في اوكرانيا على أسواق النفط تصوّب أنظارها نحو لبنان.

كوّة الأمل رغم الألم تتسع… بعد مفاوضات صعبة، والنتيجة المتوخاة تحققت: لبنان يفرض اتفاقاً على ترسيم الحدود البحرية لحفظ لبنان في ثروته الغازية في المتوسط.

رحلة بحث عن “الحمّر” الثمين 

من نافل القول، أن جوف الأراضي اللبنانية كما مياهه الإقليمية، يحوي ثروات نفطية وغازية لا يستهان بها، وقد أثبتت الدراسات الجيولوجية ذلك…. وسيكون لنا تقرير خاص حول هذه الثروات لاحقاً.

إنها صخور “الحمّر” الثمينة (butum) ، وهذا موضوع تقريرنا اليوم، فهو كنزٌ لبناني دفين يستحق منّا بذل الجهود وسبر أغواره و التقصي عن كنهه؟

الميادين نت في “جبل الظهر ” بحثاً عن منجم “الحمّر” الرئيسي

كان فريق الميادين نت قد أجرى استطلاعاً ميدانياً بحرياً منذ أشهر على مشارف حقول الغاز اللبنانية الفلسطينية في منطقة الناقورة المتاخمة لفلسطين المحتلة بالتعاون مع مدير النادي اللبناني للغوص يوسف الجندي.

واليوم، نخصصّ يوماً طويلاً في “رحلة البحث عن الحمّر الثمين”  الذي تضمّن جولة في منطقة وادي التيم -حاصبيا.

صخرة الحمّر (خاص الميادين نت)
الحمّر (خاص الميادين نت)

إلى “جبل الكنز” …  أزفت اللحظات المنتظرة!

طبيعة الأرض الصخرية البركانية السوداء تغطي الأرض، وهذا دليل واضح على ما تكتنزه من ثروات، رئيس بلدية حاصبيا لبيب الحمرا يواكب فريق الميادين نت مع سيارات الدفع الرباعي، الشغف والترّقب يسيطران لدى الدخول إلى سفح هذا الجبل ، هنا (كما يقال) يمكن أن نرى الصخور التي تدرّ دولارات، كما يصفها الأهالي!

المنجم الرئيسي الذي يضخ الأكسيجين لعشرات العمّال (تصوير غسان الحاج)

صخور مميزة، مغاور متعددة،  أشجار الزيتون معمّرة، النمل يستنبش تربة رمادية اللون، وعلى الجانبين ثمّة أطلال لأبنية قديمة كان لها دور على مدى عقود من تاريخ لبنان!

رئيس بلدية حاصبيا أمام آلة استخراج الحمّر: باطن الأرض غنيّ هنا (خاص)

    وأزفت اللحظة المنتظرة بعد بحث… العثور على “البئر” الرئيسي الأثري لمنجم “الحمّر”، كان “لحظة استكشاف مثيرة”! فمنذ عقدٍ من الزمن وعلى عمق 80 متراً كان يتدلى هذا السلّم الحديدي الطويل، وإلى جانبه ثمّة “مواسير” حديدية كانت تضخ الأكسجين إلى عددٍ كبير من المغاور والأنفاق في الجبل، بواسطة مضخة ضخمة تمكنّا من معاينتها وتصويرها.

    وأزفت اللحظة المنتظرة بعد بحث… العثور على “البئر” الرئيسي الأثري لمنجم “الحمّر”، كان “لحظة استكشاف مثيرة”! فمنذ عقدٍ من الزمن وعلى عمق 80 متراً كان يتدلى هذا السلّم الحديدي الطويل، وإلى جانبه ثمّة “مواسير” حديدية كانت تضخ الأكسجين إلى عددٍ كبير من المغاور والأنفاق في الجبل، بواسطة مضخة ضخمة تمكنّا من معاينتها وتصويرها.

    صور من أربعينات القرن الماضي للمكان الذي تفقده فريق الميادين نت

      “رئاسة الحمّر”: مزرعة أبقار!

      إلى جانب البئر والمضخة، هنالك  جدران لغرفٍ كانت تستخدم لاستراحة ومبيت عمال المناجم، عايّننا مبنى مكاتب إدارة استخراج وتصدير “الحمّر” في لبنان المبني من العقد الحجري الأثري، لكن المفاجاة تمثلّت في الوضع الراهن المزري لهذا المبنى الذي تحوّل إلى مزرعة للأبقار!!

      نعاين الجبل ومغاوره،  قبل أن نعلم أن هذه المنطقة تحوي إضافة إلى “الحمّر”، كميات كبيرة من الغاز بشهادة شركة نروجية كانت أجرت دراسة ميدانية مطلع السبعينات”.

      رئاسة صخور “الحمّر”في الشرق الأوسط (1933- 1956) تحوّلت إلى زريبة للحيوانات!  (خاص الميادين نت)

      المؤرخ سليقا: المناجم أقفلت “لغاية في نفس يعقوب”!

      الملفت هو استحواذ  باطن الأرض في منطقة حاصبيا (جنوب البلاد) على ثروة بترولية صخرية شكّلت إبّان فترة الانتداب الفرنسي”ثروة وطنية” ذاع صيتها في دول أوروبا …  إلى أن “أُقفلت مناجمها فجأة بين ليلة وضحاياها “لغاية في نفس يعقوب”! كما أكد المؤرخ اللبناني المخضرم بلدة الفرديس الشيخ غالب سليقا للميادين نت خلال زيارتنا له في منزله..

      المؤرخ سليقا: لا نعرف لماذا توقف الاستخراج على عمق 2000 متر؟

      مكتبة عامرة يحويها منزل المؤرخ العصامي سليقا وعائلته الرائدة ونجله الباحث المواكب د. رواد، الشيخ الذي طرق عتبات الثمانين ما انفك يبحث ويغبّ ويؤلف، ما يغني العلم والتاريخ ويصبح مرجعاً هاماً على مدى الأجيال.

      (صخور”تدّر دولارات” في لبنان (تصوير غسان الحاج / مونتاج محمد أشمر – عباس شري (صخور

      الحمّر= البترول المجمّد!

      يعرّف المؤرخ سليقا الحمّر بأنه “البترول المجمّد، وهو موجود في المنطقة الممتدة من حاصبيا إلى مشغرة إلى سحمر” (خريطة داخل الفيديو ) ،ويكشف أنه “في العام 1952 أتت “النقطة الرابعة” الأميركية وحفرت في سحمر لاستخراج البترول، لكن لا نعرف لماذا توقف هذا العمل على عمق 2000 متر  لا غير، ما يدّل على وجود هذه المادة في المنطقة” ، مشيراً إلى “أنهما مشتقان متلازمان، فالتوقف عن استكشاف النفط تبعه إيقاف استخراج الحمّر”.

      مدخل إحدى المغاور على بعد كيلومترات من البئر الرئيسي !

        ويشرح أن الحمّر يمسي كـ “الفيول أويل”، إذا ما وضع على حرارة عالية، وهذا ما يحتاجه لبنان اليوم للتخلّص من أزمة الكهرباء الخانقة،  ويطرح عدة أسئلة:  هل للاكتشافات البترولية في دول الخليج تأثير؟ هل جودتها أعلى؟ لماذا توقف استخراج الحمّر في تلك الفترة بالتحديد، تزامناً مع كل ذلك؟

        رئيس البلدية: المنطقة تحوي ثروة ضخمة

        وفي السياق،  يقول رئيس البلدية الذي كشف عن حالات متكررة لانبثاق للدخان المتصاعد من الجبل  إن “هذه المنطقة من أغنى المناطق بخيراتها المطمورة تحت الأرض، والتي كان الانتداب الفرنسي أول من بادر إلى استخراج الحمّر”، داعياً الدولة إلى الإسراع في إعادة تشغيل المناجم”.

        فريق “الميادين نت” مع رئيس البلدية والزميل حديفة في سفح جبل “الحمّر”

          وناشد المسؤولين “إيلاء مناجم “الحمّر” أي الأحجار النفطية في قاطع حاصبيا الاهتمام، لما تحويه من ثروة بترولية ضخمة تؤمن في حال العمل على إعادة استغلالها، دخلاً وفيراً لخزينة الدولة ويداً عاملة لأكثر من 1000 شخص”، لافتأ إلى أن الأطراف الغربية لبلدة حاصبيا هي موطن “الحمّر” الوحيد في لبنان.

          رئيس بلدية حاصبيا: الحمّر ثروة وطنية (تصوير: غسان الحاج / مونتاج محمد أشمر – عباس شري)

            كاميرا الميادين داخل مغارة: لا أكسجين!

            وخلال تنقلنا، في الجبل المذكور،  تمكنت عدسة الزميل الحاج من دخول مغارة أثرية على بعد كيلومترات على ضفاف نهر الحاصباني كانت تستخدم كأحدى الفوهات العديدة التي كان يستخدمها العمّال للخروج من الجبل والمناجم.

             من جهته، ذكر  محمد أبو دهن (85 عاماً)، وهو العامل الوحيد المتبقي على قيد الحياة والذي عمل لفترة  في مناجم الحمر للميادين نت أن استخراج الحمر كان انطلق بطرق بدائية من خلال استعمال المعول والرفش والأزميل والسلال وكانت الكمية المستخرجة قليلة.

            البئر يعود إلى منتصف القرن الماضي

              وأوضح أنه مع دخول إحدى الشركات الاجنبية تطوّرت أعمال التنقيب وزاد الانتاج بعدما بات يتم بمعدات متطورة.

              يذكر أن نسيب غبريل كان قد استحصل وخلال مناقصة أجريت العام 1933 على رخصة استثمار للحمّر لمدة 25 سنة وكان ينتج حوالى 2000 طن سنوياً عبر التعاقد مع شركات أجنبية.

              وذكر أن الحمّر يتواجد على شكل طبقاتٍ في باطن الأرض وبسماكة تتراوح بين متر ومترين ونصف، قائلاً إن “العمال كانوا يصلون إليه عبر خنادق و سراديب لا يتجاوز قطرها متر ونصف بعد ان يتم تأمين تهويتها بواسطة فتحات تربط بين الانفاق وسطح الأرض”.

              أدوات الحفر القديمة (خاص الميادين نت)

                الحمّر إلى تركيا وأوروبا 

                 المؤرخ سليقا أشار إلى ان النتائج المخبرية التي كانت تجريها الشركات المنقبة دلّت على أن الحمر الحاصباني يحتوي على 97 % من الحمّر الصافي وهي أعلى نسبة عالمية، وأن بقاياها  بعد معالجتها تتحول إلى أسمدة كيماوية.

                ولفت إلى أن كميات الحمّر المستخرجة كانت تنقل بواسطة شاحنات إلى مرفأ بيروت لتصدّر إلى العديد من الدول الأوروبية خاصة فرنسا وأيطاليا وهولندا، فضلاً عن تركيا.

                ويدخل الحمّر في العديد من الصناعات الثقيلة والخفيفة على حدّ سواء ومنها صناعة الدهانات والصباغ وطلاء البواخر، كما يدخل في صناعة الأدوية والمبيدات الحشرية الزراعية، ويستعمل أيضا كمادة عازلة.

                 وزير البيئة: نجمع معلومات موثقة حول مناجم الحمّر

                حوالى 800 عامل من كافة قرى المنطقة إضافة لعمال وخبراء أجانب أمضوا حوالى 40 عاماً في الحفر والتنقيب والنقل، والجدير ذكره، أن 4 عمال من أبناء بلدة حاصبيا كانوا لقوا حتفهم داخل احد المناجم العام 1954 بسبب انهيار أحدها على عمق حوالى 100 متر، ليتوقف بعدها استخراج الحمّر!

                من جولة وزير البيئة ناصر ياسين في منطقة وادي التيم

                  وكان لا بد من رصد موقف وزير البيئة في حكومة تصريف الأعمال اللبنانية ناصر ياسين الذي أجرى اتصالات مكثفة لجمع معلومات موثقة حول مناجم الحمّر مع كل الجهات الرسمية المعنية في حاصبيا للوقوف على كافة الحيثيات المتوفرة حول هذه المناجم.

                  وقال “عملت في اعقاب ذلك على تشكيل لجنة تضم اخصائيين وخبراء جيولوجيين وبيئيين وفنيين مهمتها إعداد تقرير ميداني علمي شامل ومفصل مبني على وقائع حسية ملموسة حول هذه المناجم والجهات التي اكتشفت الحمّر والشركات التي نفذّت أعمال الحفر والتنقيب والتشغيل والتصدير والبلدان التي استوردت”.

                  Lebanon expected to begin gas extraction in spring

                  November 11 2022

                  The Lebanese parliament speaker is confident Lebanon will join the ‘club of gas-rich countries’ in 2023

                  A TotalEnergies’ headquarters in France (Photo Credit: Via Energy Connects)

                  ByNews Desk

                  Informed sources have confirmed to Lebanon-based news agency Al-Markaziya that French oil company TotalEnergies is expected to start extraction from Lebanon’s gas fields in the spring of 2023.

                  The company has reportedly begun preparations for the necessary paperwork to contract a specialized extraction ship before transporting it to Block 9, facing south Lebanon.

                  The ship will be similar to the one operating in Israel’s Karish gas field, and will be responsible for pumping gas from the undersea wells toward land-based reservoirs using underwater pipelines.

                  Oil expert Rabih Yaghi told Al-Markaziya that infrastructure should be prepared in Lebanon prior to the arrival of the ship, stressing that these platforms are rented by the hour or day, making any possible delays very costly.

                  However, Yaghi estimates that the first drilling ship should arrive by the end of this winter and start operating in the Qana gas field. The vessel has to be operational for at least three months before the arrival of the extraction platform.

                  Lebanese Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, who led the maritime negotiations with the US and Israel for 10 years, was confident that Lebanon will start extraction in 2023.

                  Berri was quoted by local media reiterating his famous statement from 2016 about the wealth at sea, saying that “the discovery will not only lead to Lebanon’s entry to the club of [gas]-producing countries, but even place it in the front row seats.”

                  In 2017, TotalEnergies signed two Exploration and Production Agreements (EPAs) with the Lebanese government, assigning them to Blocks 4 and 9.

                  The Tungsten Explorer drillship commenced operations in Block 4 as soon as it arrived in Lebanon on 25 February 2020. However, the lack of concrete proof of gas reserves halted the exploration efforts.

                  No operations took place in Block 9, as the French company was weary of the repercussions as long as the area was disputed with Israel.

                  However, after signing the maritime agreement with Israel on 27 October, the company’s representatives reengaged with Lebanese officials, to fulfill the obligations of the 2017 EPAs.

                  According to Lebanon’s Energy Minister, Walid Fayyad, Qatar also showed an interest in joining the consortium, led by major petroleum firms ENI and TotalEnergies.

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                  Netanyahu returns, but Israel’s political and military landscape has changed

                  Bibi is back, leading Israel’s most right-wing government but also facing unprecedented Palestinian resistance and global turmoil.

                  November 06 2022

                  Photo Credit: The Cradle

                  By Abdel Bari Atwan

                  While the Arab Summit in Algeria affirmed its adherence to the so-called ‘Arab Peace Initiative’ as a final solution to the Palestinian issue, Israel’s response came quickly and resolutely with the return to power of Benjamin Netanyahu and the anti-Arab religious Likud bloc.

                  In the 1 November legislative elections, Israelis voted in large numbers for the anti-Arab, racist, religious parties, which openly embrace a policy of killing and expelling Palestinians from all of occupied Palestine, and promote a solely Jewish-Zionist identity of the country.

                  The “Jewish Power” party, which won 15 seats, and is led by the two most racist figures in the short history of the Jewish state, Bezael H. Cherish and his deputy Itamar Ben Gvir, will be the backbone of Netanyahu’s coalition government.

                  The leader of this party, which will be the most prominent partner of the Arab monarchs who signed peace agreements with Israel, has called for killing Arabs, expelling them and wrapping the bodies of the martyrs in pigskin “in honor” of them.

                  Normalization the new norm

                  Nonetheless, it is likely that red carpets will be laid out for Ben Gvir and Netanyahu in Arab capitals, where they will enjoy Arab hospitality and drink from their gilded goblets. Indeed, there is no difference between the winning Israeli coalition and the defeated one (Lapid-Gantz).

                  Both converge on their mutual hostility and hatred of Arabs and Muslims. General Benny Gantz, the Israeli Minister of Defense in the previous government, used to boast that he was the Israeli who killed the largest number of Arabs – and this is true, as his government has killed 166 Palestinians since the beginning of this year.

                  There is a silver lining, however: This racist government will hasten Israel’s demise and lead to its inevitable end, not at the hands of the battered Arab armies, but at the hands of the Palestinian resistance and their regional allies, their missiles and drones.

                  There are three steps that the Netanyahu government and his extremist coalition may take upon assuming power:

                  First, a return to reviving the Trump-era ‘Deal of the Century,’ the annexation of the West Bank, and the deportation of most of its Palestinian residents to Jordan as an “alternative homeland.”

                  Second, the escalation of incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the consolidation of Jewish control over East Jerusalem, and the obliteration of its Arab and Islamic identity. The first step may be dividing it on the model of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, then demolishing it, and erecting the alleged “temple” on its ruins.

                  Third, the canceling or freezing of the maritime border demarcation agreement with Lebanon, similar to what happened to the Oslo Accords with Palestinians. Netanyahu announced his intent to do so openly in his election campaign.

                  This option appears especially likely given that extraction of gas and oil from the Karish field has already begun, while the Qana field, which was “partially” recognized as Lebanese, remains untouched, with no surveys or exploration conducted until this moment.

                  It is likely that the Lebanese gas fields will lay dormant for the foreseeable future. The same US mediators did not guarantee the implementation of even 1 per cent of the Oslo Accords, and they will most likely not guarantee the rights of the Lebanese people.

                  Renewed Palestinian armed resistance

                  But Netanyahu is set to assume control over a very different state of affairs, both domestically and internationally. For starters, Israel is facing an escalating internal conflict, and most importantly, a revived intifada in the form of West Bank armed resistance.

                  We cannot talk about West Bank resistance without discussing the phenomenon of The Lions’ Den whose political and military influence is expanding, while the Palestinian public’s embrace of the movement is growing. Not a day passes without witnessing a commando operation in various parts of the West Bank; in Nablus, Jenin and Hebron – later in Ramallah, and then in the pre-1948 occupied Palestinian territories.

                  Netanyahu may succeed in including one or two more Arab governments in the Abraham Accords, which was signed under his last premiership. However, such political acrobatics will have no value in light of the “awakening” of the Palestinian people and their return to armed resistance.

                  The returning Netanyahu will not forget the May 2021 battle of the “Sword of Jerusalem” that humiliated him, and its missiles that isolated the occupying state for more than 11 days, forcing millions of Israeli settler-colonizers into shelters and bunkers.

                  These missiles are still present and ready, along with hundreds of armed drones. Perhaps it is also worth reminding the incoming Israeli Prime Minister of how he ended an electoral meeting in the city of Ashdod (my ancestors’ hometown) and fled in terror from the 400 missiles launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in retaliation for the assassination of its leader, Baha Abu al-Atta.

                  Just another day in the office?

                  The “Israel” to which Netanyahu returns is not the same Israel he left, and the world he knew when he was last in power, is not the same world today. His US supporter is mired in an unprecedented proxy war of attrition with Russia in Ukraine, where his co-religionist, Volodymyr Zelensky, has so far lost about a fifth of his country’s territory, and has plunged it into darkness and despair.

                  While Netanyahu is viewed as as being close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that friendship had deepened before the Ukraine war. The situation has now changed dramatically, and he will be forced to choose between Washington and Moscow in an era of multipolarity.

                  As for the Lions’ Den, they have effectively changed all the equations and rules of engagement in occupied Palestine – and perhaps in the Arab world as well – and within this context will actually “welcome” the hardliner Netanyahu’s return to power.

                  The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Cradle.

                  Lebanon Secures Oil, Gas Rights Without Any Concession, Now It’s Time to Preserve This Achievement

                  November 2, 2022

                  By Mohammad Youssef

                  Lebanon has become an oil and gas member country. The new understanding to demarcate the maritime border line with occupied Palestine is a milestone and the start of a new era that put the country on a new road towards prosperity and stability on many levels. More importantly, this remarkable achievement has been reached without any kind of normalization with the ‘Israeli’ enemy.

                  It is the first time in history that an Arab state gets its rights without bowing down to the ‘Israeli’ blackmail, threats, or diktats.

                  But how did that take place?

                  The resistance in Lebanon spearheaded by Hezbollah has given another proof about its ability to bring the yet another country.

                  Supported by the people who put their trust and have a full unshakable conviction about the resistance. Hezbollah leadership took a courageous step by setting a new formula against the enemy which states the following: If Lebanon cannot explore, exploit, and extract its gas resources, the enemy is not allowed to do so.

                  Hezbollah put its threat into effect by sending its drones over Karish platform to reflect the seriousness of its warning.

                  In addition to this, and in a harmonious and coordinated way with the state officials, namely President of the Republic General Michel Aoun, House Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, and their respective teams, the resistance represented by Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been able to give Lebanon another remarkable victory which brought the ‘Israeli’ enemy to its knees.

                  This event has given an exemplary model about the defensive strategy that Lebanon could reach and adopt to defend the country and act as a deterrent force against any ‘Israeli’ aggression.

                  This defensive strategy has long been under the light, and is always under focus. Many parties in Lebanon have called for an open discussion to deliberate over this matter. Now we have a real embodiment and a vivid example that no one can deny about the result of coordination that can take place to ensure not only Lebanon’s protection and liberation, but also its full sovereignty over its land, sea, and all its natural resources.

                  Needless to say, this kind of coordination will definitely act as a safety valve and as a guarantee for Lebanon and the Lebanese against any foreign threat, aggression, or intimidation, especially from the ‘Israeli’ enemy side which has a lengthy history of aggressions.

                  It is the duty of the Lebanese from every sect and confession to perceive this new lesson. To understand the importance of this achievement, they should all learn how to appreciate it, value it and do everything possible to support and preserve it.

                  This is a successful golden formula that has no otherwise so far. It proved its efficiency in the past and present, and will definitely protect Lebanon and its people in the future.

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                  Maritime Deal: How Hochstein’s ‘Nothing’ Turns into Lebanon’s Everything

                   October 17, 2022

                  Marwa Haidar

                  “Lebanon right now has nothing”

                  In an interview with Al-Hurra in mid-June, US Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein hinted out that Lebanon has to “stop thinking” about being right regarding the indirect maritime border talks with the Zionist entity.

                  The US mediator called on both sides, Lebanon and ‘Israel’, to present “creative ideas” and approach the maritime dispute in a way that regards “getting more than I have” rather than “getting everything.”

                  In this context, the Israeli-born ‘mediator’ openly said that Lebanon has “nothing,” in a clear message to Lebanese negotiators to accept the US-Israeli provisions.

                  https://english.almanar.com.lb/ajax/video_check.php?id=108242

                  “I think the solution that will work is to stop thinking about do I have the most legal case… Do I want to be the most right? Because sometimes when you are right you have nothing to show for it,” Hochstein told Al-Hurra last June.

                  “The thinking instead should be as much energy should be placed in the thinking what is a creative idea that we can all compromise around that both sides all feel that I may not have gotten everything I want but I got a lot more than I have right now, which really in the case of Lebanon right now is nothing,” the UN envoy said with a contempt look.

                  Four months after Hochstein’s remarks, how things are going now? And how the “nothing” ended up according to Lebanon?

                  Lebanon’s Firm Stance

                  The “nothing” remarks came nearly ten days after the Israeli regime moved a production vessel, Greek firm Energean’s FPSO, to Karish field, with Zionist media reporting that gas extracting would take place in September.

                  Commenting on the arrival of the FPSO, Lebanese President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a joint statement on June 6, in which they warned that any exploration or drilling activity Israel might undertake in the disputed zones “constitutes a provocative and hostile act that threatens the international peace and security, and impedes the negotiations over the maritime border.”

                  Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Najib Mikati .

                  Later on June 13, a day before Hochstein arrived in Lebanon and made the “nothing” remarks, President Aoun stressed that it is out of the question to waive Lebanon’s rights to invest its gas and oil wealth, affirming firm rejection to Israeli threats.

                  The Lebanese president then emphasized Lebanon’s sovereign rights to water and natural resources on June 14, as he handed over Lebanon’s response on the US proposal to Hochstein during his visit to Beirut.

                  In the same day, Speaker Nabih Berri met Hochstein and also affirmed Lebanon’s rights to invest in its oil wealth, noting that this right is unanimously agreed upon by all the Lebanese.

                  Moreover, the three senior presidents were on direct contact to follow up on the details of talks which took place later in August and September between Lebanese chief negotiator Elias Bou Saab and the US side. They spared no occasion to stress that Lebanon is keen to secure his rights in maritime wealth in a way that preserves stability.

                  Hezbollah Behind Lebanese State

                  Throughout months of indirect talks, Hezbollah has firmly stated it has nothing to do with the negotiations process, with Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah reiterating that the Lebanese state is the only side that decides which maritime line will be agreed on and that Hezbollah wants to provide the Lebanese authorities with points of strength during the talks.

                  Though the Lebanese resistance movement affirmed it “stands behind the Lebanese State,” it was clear regarding defending what Lebanon considers its right.

                  On June 9, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah is committed to defend Lebanon’s maritime wealth, warning that all options were on table.

                  On July 2, Hezbollah launched three drones towards Karish field, in a clear message Tel Aviv has received over the Lebanese resistance movement’s seriousness in dealing with the maritime issue.

                  On July 13, Sayyed Nasrallah warned the Israeli enemy it will be prevented from extracting gas and oil if Lebanon is not allowed to do so. In the same address, the resistance leader issued his well-known equation: “Karish and Beyond Karish”.

                  His eminence then delivered a speech on July 26, stating that no Israeli target is out of Hezbollah’s precision missiles reach.

                  https://english.almanar.com.lb/ajax/video_check.php?id=107615

                  On July 31, Hezbollah’s Military Media Department released video showing coordinates of the Israeli platforms operating in the Mediterranean. The video, dubbed “Within Our Reach”, warned the Zionist enemy that procrastination and playing for time during the negotiations are fruitless and that Hezbollah’s finger is on the trigger if the Israeli regime takes any action aimed at plundering Lebanon’s gas and oil fields.

                  https://english.almanar.com.lb/ajax/video_check.php?id=107615

                  Sayyed Nasrallah, later on August 19, said that Hochstein was wasting time, stressing that an escalation with the Israeli enemy is “inevitable if ‘Israel’ denies Lebanon’s maritime rights.”

                  Finalizing Maritime Deal

                  Lebanon and the Zionist entity were on September venues for accelerated diplomatic activity by Hochstein. US President Joe Biden announced in mid-September that a maritime deal is important, warning on the other hand that not reaching a deal has harmful repercussions on the region.

                  Israeli media also reported at the time that gas extraction started at Karish field. Israeli Ministry of Energy on September 17 clarified, at the request of the occupation military, that the activity in Karish was just for experimental purposes.

                  Things turned on October to be more optimistic but with caution. On October 1, Hochstein handed over his final proposal on the impending maritime deal.

                  US ambassador Dorothy Shea hands over Hochstein’s  proposal to President  Michel Aoun (October 1, 2022).

                  Later on October 4, Lebanon requested modifications on Hochstein’s proposal in a text presented by Bou Saab to the US Embassy in Beirut.

                  Hochstein then handed over, on October 10, an updated version of his proposal. Media outlets announced a day later that Lebanon and the Zionist entity reached a US-brokered deal on the demarcation of the maritime borders.

                  Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid described the deal as “historic”, while the Lebanese Presidency said that items of Hochstein’s proposal were satisfying for Lebanon.

                  Maritime Deal in Israeli Eyes

                  Shortly after it was announced that a deal was reached, Israeli opposition lambasted the government of Yair Lapid, with former PM Benjamin Netanyahu considering the settlement a “historic surrender to Hezbollah”.

                  Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz “gave Hezbollah our territorial waters, our sovereign territory, our gas, and in the end, they succumbed to another Hezbollah demand to allow Iran to drill gas off the coast of Israel,” Netanyahu said, as quoted by Israeli media.

                  A screen shot from an Israeli military video showing Hezbollah drone flying over Karish field (July 2, 2022).

                  Lapid, on his part, defended the deal insisting that it was “a boon to Israel’s security and staves off war with Hezbollah.”

                  Away from the heated political debate between the government and the opposition in the Zionist entity, which many commentators and analysts eye as based on electoral considerations (Israeli parliamentary elections to be held next November), remarks made by Israeli military officials say it all.

                  Amos Yadlin, former head of Israeli military intelligence, said on October 2, that the “assumption which is closer to reality is that (Sayyed) Nasrallah had all what he wanted, and for that he feels good.”

                  For his part, retired Israeli general who served as a Brigade commander Amir Avivi slammed the deal, saying that Hezbollah subdued ‘Israel’ and forced it to kneel down.

                  ‘Israel is witnessing a dangerous precedent as Hezbollah is threatening us, and we back off quickly,” Avivi told the Israeli Radio on October 11.

                  100% of Lebanon Demands Met

                  Going back to the US, whose energy envoy made the “nothing” remarks, some officials had something different to say regarding the maritime deal.

                  “100% to Lebanon and 0% to Israel”

                  David Friedman, the former American ambassador to the Zionist entity said that no one imagined 100% to Lebanon and 0% to ‘Israel’, in a tweet on October 3.

                  Lebanon and Israel Reach Gas Deal, but Will it Hold?

                  Posted by INTERNATIONALIST 360° 

                  Steven Sahiounie

                  Lebanon and Israel have reached a deal concerning their maritime border dispute in the gas-rich Mediterranean Sea.

                  Israel’s current leader, Yarir Lapid, wants to get the Knesset’s approval before Israel’s elections on November 1, but there’s no guarantee that it will happen before then. The long-term life of this deal depends on the outcome of the Israeli election.

                  Lebanon’s deputy speaker Elias Bou Saab said yesterday that an agreement had been reached that satisfies both sides, and

                  The US-brokered final draft has gone to President Michel Aoun. US mediator Amos Hochstein worked to close the gap between Israel and Lebanon on the issues surrounding the gas deal. The text of the deal was leaked to the press, and appears to give the Karish field to Israeli control, while the Qana field would remain with Lebanon. Aoun stressed previously that this deal does not create a partnership with Israel, as the two countries remain in a state of war.

                  Lebanon’s Energy Minister Walid Fayad has previously said they will take over Russian gas company Novatek’s 20 percent share in a consortium licensed to explore two offshore blocs after the Russian gas giant pulled out in August. The consortium is led by France’s TotalEnergies and includes Italy’s Eni. Yesterday, a delegation from Total was in Beirut meeting the caretaker Prime Minister Mikati, who told them to start immediately exploring and drilling the area once the maritime border deal comes into force.

                  The deal could solve the financial, social, and political problems that Lebanon has been facing which almost brought the small nation on the Mediterranean Sea to ‘failed-state’ status.

                  The two nations sense the urgency to come to an agreement amid Hezbollah’s threat to defend Lebanon’s offshore energy resources by force if necessary. The Lebanese army is incapable of militarily defending Lebanon, and Hezbollah is the only resistance force capable of deterring the encroachment of borders or territorial waters. Hezbollah officials have said they would endorse a deal reached between Lebanon’s government and Israel.  Offshore oil and gas production for Lebanon could spell the end of the worst economic crisis in the world in modern history, according to the World Bank.

                  Previously, Lapid said Israel would begin production in the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean “as soon as possible.” That decision threatened to raise tensions with Hezbollah, as the Karish gas field was contested. Israel set up a gas rig at Karish in June, saying the field was part of its UN-recognized exclusive economic zone; however, Lebanon insisted Karish was in disputed waters. Tensions between Lebanon and Israel increased since the arrival of a floating production and storage vessel to the Karish field in June, and in July the Israeli military shot down three unarmed Hezbollah drones flying over the Karish field.

                  Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse interviewed Abbas Zalzali, news anchor, media instructor, talk show host and writer.  Mr. Zalzali explained how the deal might be effected by the Israeli election outcome, and also commented on the upcoming Presidential election in Lebanon.

                  Steven Sahiounie (SS):   Previously, we heard that Israel and Lebanon were very close to signing a deal over the gas in the Mediterranean Sea, but that the negotiations had collapsed. As of now, the deal appears to have been made. In your opinion, who caused the previous negotiations to collapse?

                  Abbas Zalzali (AZ):  The previous Israeli statements regarding the border demarcation agreement with Lebanon, which has now been made, fall into the category of Israeli election rhetoric. That is why we saw Benjamin Netanyahu trying to use the border demarcation file against Yair Lapid as a pressure card by making clear that it is a concession to Lebanon and Hezbollah, but all indications indicate that the agreement has been accomplished, especially after US President Joe Biden called Lebanese President Michel Aoun and congratulated him on completing the agreement, as did the US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea and more than one Arab and international official.

                  SS:  The Israeli officials are threatening to attack Lebanon and asked their settlers in northern occupied Palestine to get prepared for escalation with Lebanon. Netanyahu is against this new agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and in the coming election he might win. Do you think that the situation will go to a full scale war if he comes back to power?

                  AZ:  If Netanyahu wins, things will get complicated.  I do not think that Israel is ready to launch a war against Lebanon, not because of the demarcation of the maritime borders, or for any other reason, because the regional and international conditions are not ready, and because Europe needs Mediterranean gas as a result of the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the conflict over energy sources.  Let us not forget that in the war with Lebanon in July 2006 Israel gained nothing. Hezbollah has gained a great deal of fighting power through its participation in the wars in more than one country, in addition to doubling its missile force.

                  SS:  The Lebanese Parliament should vote for a new president for Lebanon. In your opinion, are the Lebanese political parties ready to choose a president, or we will see Lebanon without a government and a president?

                  AZ:  The elections of a new President in Lebanon has always been an internal connection with external and internal reasons, but there are some countries meddling in Baabda Palace, and some neighboring countries that changed the political map in the country.

                  So we may face a stage of a presidential vacancy under a resigned government. But if the positives continue in the file of demarcating the maritime borders with Israel, and the agreement is signed, this may reflect regional and international consensus, which will be reflected inside Lebanon as an agreement to elect a new president.


                  Steven Sahiounie is a two-time award-winning journalist

                  Schenker: Hezbollah Threats Enabled Lebanon to Obtain 100% of Maritime Requests

                  October 14, 2022

                  Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, indicated in an article published by WSJ that the final version of the US-brokered maritime border demarcation between Lebanon and the Zionist entity reflects that ‘Israel’ fell to Lebanon’s Bait-and-Switch game.

                  Schenker explained that the Lebanese negotiators won the day by employing a time-tested bait-and-switch tactic, adding that demanding line 29 to demarcate maritime border aims at sustaining the initial negotiating position at line 23.

                  Schenker added that when the negotiations resumed after a long stop, the Israeli negotiators considered that Lebanon made a significant concession by switching from line 20 to line 23.

                  “A per the new agreement, Lebanon will attain virtually 100% of its initial negotiating position.”

                  The US diplomat underlined Hezbollah important role in the negotiations by threatening to strike the Zionist gas rig in Karish field if it starts extracting gas prior to reaching an agreement.

                  President Michel Aoun announced on Thursday Lebanon’s approval of US mediator’s final draft of southern maritime border demarcation proposal. The Zionist government approved on Wednesday a US-brokered maritime deal with Lebanon, surrendering to Lebanon’s insistence on its rights.

                  During the recent months, Hezbollah played a central role in forcing the Zionist enemy to abandon its schemes to infringe on the Lebanese rights. On July 3, 2022, Hezbollah flew three drones over the Israeli platforms in Karish gas field which lies in the disputable zone, sending a powerful message that warns the enemy against any infringement.

                  On July 13, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah warned on the Israeli enemy and the United States that if Lebanon is prevented from extracting its maritime resources, ‘Israel’ will not be able to extract or sell gas and oil.

                  On July 31, Hezbollah military media released a video which shows the Israeli platforms operating in the Mediterranean, warning the Zionist enemy of its attempts to plunder Lebanon’s gas and oil fields.

                  Source: Al-Manar English Website

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                  Hadn’t It Been for Hezbollah, ‘Israel’ Would’ve Delayed Maritime Border Demarcation with Lebanon for 200 Years: Zionist Analysts

                   October 13, 2022

                  The Zionist circles and media outlets continued on Thursday following up the repercussions of the indirect maritime border demarcation deal with Lebanon, concentrating on the conflict with Hezbollah.

                  The Israeli circles considered that the Israeli military deterrence is being smashed by Hezbollah, adding that the Resistance Party Leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah’s satisfaction with the deal is a dangerous indicator in this regard.

                  The Zionist media outlets rejected the officials’ claims that ‘Israel’ did not approve the deal for fear of Hezbollah, stressing that Hezbollah drones forced ‘Israel’ to make concessions.

                  The Israeli political analyst, Rafif Droker, stressed that ‘Israel’ would have delayed the maritime deal with Lebanon for 200 years had not it been for Hezbollah military power.

                  Mawaf Fardy, a political analyst, said that ‘Israel’ made concessions after Hezbollah flew drones over Karish gas rig which confirms that ‘Israel’ does not understand except the language of power.

                  President Michel Aoun announced on Thursday Lebanon’s approval of US mediator’s final draft of southern maritime border demarcation proposal. The Zionist government approved on Wednesday a US-brokered maritime deal with Lebanon, surrendering to Lebanon’s insistence on its rights.

                  During the recent months, Hezbollah played a central role in forcing the Zionist enemy to abandon its schemes to infringe on the Lebanese rights. On July 3, 2022, Hezbollah flew three drones over the Israeli platforms in Karish gas field which lies in the disputable zone, sending a powerful message that warns the enemy against any infringement.

                  On July 13, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah warned on the Israeli enemy and the United States that if Lebanon is prevented from extracting its maritime resources, ‘Israel’ will not be able to extract or sell gas and oil.

                  On July 31, Hezbollah military media released a video which shows the Israeli platforms operating in the Mediterranean, warning the Zionist enemy of its attempts to plunder Lebanon’s gas and oil fields.

                  Source: Al-Manar English Website

                  Hezbollah Forced Maritime Deal after Israel’s Unabated Procrastination: Journalist

                   October 13, 2022

                  Click the Picture to see the Interview

                  Prominent Lebanese journalist Ibrahim Al-Amin told Al-Manar that the deal on the maritime dispute between Lebanon and the Zionist entity is neither an agreement between two states nor an accord.

                  In an interview with Al-Manar’s Panorama Today on Wednesday night, the CEO and editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar Lebanese newspaper described the maritime deal as “an understanding between two hostile parties in a bid to organize affairs of economic interests.”

                  “The talks which started twelve years ago was aimed at reaching a full agreement on border demarcation, but there has been a US and Western decision to prevent Lebanon from utilizing from its resources due to influence on international firms and Lebanon internal problems,” Al-Amin told Panorama Today’s Manar Sabbagh.

                  “The resistance stance shifted the talks from phase of procrastination to phase of deal,” Al-Amin said.

                  The resistance didn’t press the Lebanese State, but rather directly addressed the Israeli enemy through clear threats.

                  “The enemy needed practical measures to extract gas in a bid to meet it internal demands and to utilize from the international and regional situation,” Al-Amin said, referring to energy shortage across the world.

                  “The resistance imposed a very clear equation that was simple in the form but dangerous in the content.”

                  He noted, meanwhile, that the US has great influence in Lebanon, stating: “Washington is capable of exerting different forms of pressure on Lebanon and it did so regarding the maritime talks, but Israel told the US that it knows Hezbollah very well and that the resistance group’s threats are serious.”

                  The Lebanese journalist also echoed Hezbollah S.G. Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah’s remarks during Tuesday’s speech on the resistance readiness.

                  “Though residents of southern border towns haven’t witnessed military activity in the area, they know that there are thousands of fighters who have been on full alert.”

                  “The Israeli enemy knows that the resistance has instant reconnaissance of activity in Karish and other fields as well as many other details.”

                  Source: Al-Manar English Website

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                  Sayyed Nasrallah: Hezbollah Awaits Official Stance, to Maintain Readiness

                  October 12, 2022

                  Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivering a speech on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday on October 11, 2022 Click

                  Batoul Wehbe

                  Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah announced on Tuesday that Lebanon is before decisive hours with regards to the maritime demarcation deal, saying Hezbollah will await the official stances by the Lebanese President General Michel Aoun.

                  “Only after the agreement is signed we can say that we have a deal,” Sayyed Nasrallah said in a televised speech delivered during the celebration that was held this evening on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday (PBUH) along with his grandson Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq (PBUH) and the Islamic Unity Week.

                  Lebanon received the updated proposal by US Energy Envoy Amos Hocshtein on an impending deal on the maritime dispute with the Zionist entity. The Lebanese Presidency Press Office announced on Tuesday that Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab handed over President Michel Aoun the proposal finalized by Hochstein.

                  “With regard to the demarcation file, we are before decisive hours, and we, as Lebanese, are waiting for the official stance to be announced by the President,” Hezbollah leader announced, adding “We will await the official stances and only after the agreement is signed we can say that we have a deal.”

                  Sayyed Nasrallah said ‘Israel’ is sharply divided on the deal, even within the “same parties and ministers in the government,” and that not all Israeli sides are satisfied with the agreement. “We are waiting for the official position of the enemy’s government and what’s important is what will happen tomorrow in the meeting of the Israeli cabinet. We all witnessed the contradictory statements in the Zionist entity over the past months and there is a rift there.”

                  Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Tuesday that a “historic agreement” has been reached on the maritime dispute. He called a Security Cabinet meeting, followed by a general cabinet meeting for Wednesday to approve the deal, and that the deal is expected to be submitted to the Knesset for review.

                  “The moment the Lebanese see the delegations going to Naqoura on TV, we must remain cautious,” his eminence warned, “When the Lebanese side announces the approval of the deal, then we consider that things are done and until then we must remain vigilant.”

                  Sayyed Nasrallah called for attentiveness as there are those who can change their minds at every moment. He described the negotiations as difficult, “Reaching a deal was not an easy task.”

                  Bou Saab, Lebanon’s lead negotiator in the issue of maritime deal, said: “For Lebanon, the maritime deal has been finalized,” noting that the US mediator is waiting for the official response by Lebanon. He stressed, in remarks carried by Al-Manar, that Lebanon will have a united stance towards Hochstein’s updated proposal, noting that “no modifications have been made so far on the updated proposal.”

                  Hezbollah’s leader pointed that Hezbollah only cares about the extraction of oil and gas from Lebanese waters and its stance on demarcation is known. “Since the very beginning we said we stand behind the state on the issue of Lebanese demands, and I always said we want to ‘eat grapes’ and extract oil,” Hezbollah’s S.G. said.

                  “We have no problem when the Lebanese officials say that the agreement meets the Lebanese demands. My call is that after publishing the final text, this understanding should be approached in the spirit of national responsibility required to judge it positively or negatively away from settling accounts,” Sayyed Nasrallah indicated, hailing the cooperation spirit witnessed in Lebanon. “We are before a new experience of cooperation between state officials that was met with popular support. Lebanon will be able to achieve this great accomplishment at time when no one is concerned about its rights.”

                  “Where is our sea? I tell you: To us, our sea extends to Gaza, and when Palestine is liberated, we will not disagree with our Palestinian brothers on maritime borders demarcation,” his eminence said.

                  Sayyed Nasrallah said Hezbollah had no need to send more drones than the ones previously sent toward the Karish field on July 5, as “the objective was for the enemy to understand that we are serious.”

                  In this context, the Hezbollah leader hailed the resistance fighters “whose sacrifices and efforts exerted for years bore fruit within few months,” stressing that the resistance will maintain its readiness until the agreement is signed. “To resistance fighters I say: You’ll remain on your readiness, vigilance and measures until we see with our very eyes that the deal is signed, and after that is another day,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

                  Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that “this is a national wealth that is not owned by a particular sect, political party or region; it belongs to the entire Lebanese people, so it must be approached with a spirit of responsibility,” and continued, “I promise you to cooperate with all the pillars of the state.” “We must benefit from the experiences of the countries that have sovereign funds,” his eminence said, adding “we must all immunize the funds that will come from the gas resources.”

                  Hezbollah S.G. ended up the issue of maritime borders demarcation deal by saying: Tonight, we will not issue threats. Tonight, there will only be joy and clapping.

                  On the internal Lebanese issue, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “On the presidential file, I have nothing new to add regarding the issue of the presidency and we call for the formation of a government.” He regretted that officials are “blowing hot and cold”” in this regard, oscillating between optimism and stagnation in the negotiations.

                  As for Yemen, the Hezbollah leader praised Yemenis for the huge celebrations held across the various provinces that had been plagued by eight years of war. “This people, who suffered from an eight years war and suffers from many life crises, is gathering in a scene like no other, we bow in respect.”

                  Turning to the Palestinian cause, Sayyed Nasrallah hailed the latest resistance might in the West Bank, saying: “What’s going on in the West Bank is percussive to the Zionist entity and all its political forces. The resistance today in West Bank needs all ways of political, media and popular solidarity. The resistance in West Bank is able to change equations, hopes are pinned on it.”

                  West Bank cities have witnessed a significant escalation of resistance operations lately, especially in Jenin and Nablus, at the level of shooting at the Occupation army’s checkpoints and settlers and throwing explosive and incendiary devices, in response to the Israeli crimes in occupied territories.

                  Sayyed Nasrallah also lauded Hamas’ decision on strengthening the relations with Syria as a courageous, wise and sound decision.

                  Source: Al-Manar English Website

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                    Maritime Border Delimitation Dilemma: ‘Israel’ Is in Trouble as Lebanon is United to Achieve its Conditions

                    October 09, 2022

                    By Mohammad Youssef

                    ‘Israel’ is in a very chaotic situation as never before. For the first time in its entire history the Zionist entity is experiencing in an unprecedented way a phase of deep division, confusion, and uncertainty. Both the political and military leaderships have been put in a very difficult situation and were left with no margin to maneuver.

                    All of this is taking place because of Hezbollah and its triumphing equation vis-à-vis the delimitation of the maritime line with the occupied Palestine.

                    The party has presented a serious warning that was perfectly understood by the ‘Israeli’ leadership, both military and political, and their American allies that if Lebanon was not allowed to extract and exploit its natural resources [petroleum and gas from its water], then the ‘Israelis’ will not be allowed to do that as well.

                    The resistance group sent three types of drones in a clear and direct message about its seriousness, willingness, and readiness to implement its warnings.

                    Moreover, Hezbollah has also carried out certain military maneuvers that showed part of its preparations to target the Karish platform.

                    Lebanon has sent its remarks about the US-proposed settlement. The ‘Israelis’ made a huge fuss about the Lebanese position because they could not swallow that Lebanon, and for the first time in its history, proved capable of forcing the ‘Israelis’ to accept its terms and conditions.

                    The reality is that this new development has caused a deep shock inside the ‘Israeli’ circles and was used by the opposition to exploit the situation for their coming elections.

                    Netanyahu and his party harshly attacked the proposed settlement describing it as a complete surrender to Hezbollah conditions, and started a campaign against their political adversaries.

                    The Zionist entity’s security and military leadership interfered to defend the decision to conclude a process with Lebanon though indirectly, because there is no other alternative but to go into a confrontation that will not be in their interest, and will possibly lead to devastating results and bring dangerous consequences that ‘Israel’ cannot take.

                    The Americans and French have also interfered to prevent any further deterioration in the ongoing negotiations.

                    This all should give a very important lesson to the Lebanese people and to all the oppressed people that when they take a firm decision and unite behind a united position, they can impose their own conditions which preserve and ensure their rights, and no force can dictate its terms against them.

                    The Lebanese people have been able to present themselves as united after the official position voiced by the three presidents that was furthered and supported by the resistance leadership.

                    Lebanon has been able to keep its firm position and deemed itself unconcerned with what is happening within the ‘Israeli’ milieu. This has added up more strength to the Lebanese position.

                    Most of the estimations anticipate that the new problems created by the Tel Aviv regime will be resolved and a settlement will be concluded irrespective of all the chaotic divisions inside the ‘Israeli’ establishment.

                    Hopefully Lebanon will be able to exercise its sovereign right of extracting and benefitting from its resources. This will ease the crisis and form a beginning to rid Lebanon and the Lebanese of many of the dilemmas and sufferings they are going through now. Again and again thanks to the resistance!

                    لبنان ينتظر “الصيغة النهائية” من هوكشتين خلال ساعات

                     الأحد 9 تشرين الأول 2022  20:16

                    عقد هوكشتين والجانب اللبناني نقاشاً عبر الفيديو عصر اليوم (هيثم الموسوي)

                    انتهت جولة جديدة من المفاوضات غير المباشرة حول ترسيم الحدود البحرية، بين لبنان وإسرائيل، بعد جولة اتصالات مكثفة قادها الوسيط الأميركي، عاموس هوكشتين، في محاولة لحلحلة التفاصيل العالقة في آخر نسخة من الاتفاق المعدّل بين الطرفين.


                    الرفض الإسرائيلي للتعديلات اللبنانية قبل أيام، تلاه تصعيد إعلامي من العدو، عبر تخويف باستنفار عسكري على الحدود بين لبنان وفلسطين المحتلة، ولاحقاً عبر تصريحات حملت تهديدات إلى لبنان، في حال استهدف حزب الله “أهدافاً إسرائيلية”.

                    واليوم، جاء الإعلان عن انطلاق تجارب اختبار لأنابيب نقل الغاز بين حقل كاريش والمحطات على شواطئ فلسطين المحتلة، وسط حرص إسرائيلي ـــ أميركي مشترك، على التأكيد للجانب اللبناني أن الاختبار لا يعني بدأ استخراج الغاز، وأن الضخ سيتم من المحطات الساحلية نحو الحقل، لا بالعكس.

                    الإعلان لم يلق بثقله على مسار التفاوض، إذ أعلنت الرئاسة اللبنانية أن الرئيس ميشال عون تلقى إحاطة من هوكشتين ونائب رئيس مجلس النواب الياس بوصعب، حول نتائج جولة الاتصالات التي انتهت عصر اليوم واستمرت ثلاثة أيام.

                    وتم وفق ما نقل الإعلان عن الوسيط الأميركي “تحديد الملاحظات” على أن “ترسل الصيغة النهائية للاقتراح خلال الساعات القليلة المقبلة”، ليدرسها الجانب اللبناني “بشكل دقيق تمهيداً لاتخاذ القرار المناسب”.

                    ورقة الاختبار

                    حاول الجانب الإسرائيلي عبر الدفع بورقة اختبار نقل الغاز، توازياً مع التفاوض، الإيحاء بأنه مستمر في خطط الاستخراج، بمعزل عن نتيجة المسار المرعيّ أميركياً.

                    فأعلنت شركة “إنرجيان” التي منحت رخصة تشغيل حقل كاريش، أنه “بعد الحصول على موافقة من وزارة الطاقة الإسرائيلية لبدء إجراء اختبارات معينة، بدأ تدفق الغاز من الشاطئ” إلى منصة تفريغ تخزين الإنتاج العائم في كاريش.

                    وبحسب “إنرجيان” فإن الاختبارات التي تستغرق عدة أسابيع هي “خطوة مهمة” نحو استخراج الغاز.

                    وكان هوكشتين أبلغ السلطات اللبنانية بأن ما يجري هو “اختبار عكسي”.

                    التهديد حاضر

                    وكانت إسرائيل رفضت التعديلات اللبنانية لمشروع الاتفاق الذي هاجمه زعيم المعارضة بينامين نتانياهو، مهدداً بعدم احترام أي اتفاق محتمل في حال عاد رئيساً للوزراء إثر الانتخابات التشريعية المقررة في الأول من تشرين الثاني.

                    وعلّق وزير الحرب الإسرائيلي بيني غانتس، اليوم، على معارضة نتانياهو قائلا “أعرف نتانياهو منذ سنوات، سيوقع على هذه الاتفاقية (المقترحة) من منطلق أمني واستراتيجي”.

                    ووصف غانتس ما يفعله زعيم المعارضة بأنه “تلاعب”، مضيفاً “هذا اتفاق جيد لكلا الجانبين”.

                    وقال غانتس إن “الجيش الإسرائيلي مستعد لتصعيد محتمل (…) وإذا ارتكب حزب الله هذا الخطأ وهاجم إسرائيل بأي طريقة فسنستفرد بلبنان”.

                    أما حزب الله، فكان حذّر في وقت سابق إسرائيل من الإقدام على أي نشاط في كاريش قبل التوصل إلى اتفاق على ترسيم الحدود البحرية.

                    فيديوات ذات صلة

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                    أما وقد فكرتم بنسف الاتفاق…

                    الجمعة 7 تشرين الأول 2022

                    ابراهيم الأمين  

                    أمس، استفاق الجميع على صراخ مرتفع في إسرائيل. قرر يائير لابيد رفض التعديلات اللبنانية على مسوّدة الاتفاق البحري. وعشنا ساعات طويلة من التهديد والوعيد، قبل أن ينتهي المجلس الوزاري المصغر مساء إلى موقف ملتبس لا يحمل رفضاً للاتفاق، بل يحصر مشكلته مع بعض التعديلات التي طلبها لبنان. وتصرّف الجدّيون، من كل الأطراف المعنية بالملف، على أساس أن ما يجري في إسرائيل لا يتجاوز العمل تحت الضغط الانتخابي، وأن «لابيد يحاول أن يعمل أبو علي على حسن نصرالله» على حد تعبير الأكاديمي الإسرائيلي يوني بن مناحيم.

                    لكن، لنفترض أن إسرائيل تريد، من خلال رفض التعديلات اللبنانية، خوض مغامرة تهدّد بنسف الاتفاق، أو أنها تريد كسب مزيد من الوقت والمماطلة والتسويف سعياً إلى ظرف أفضل لها على صعيد طبيعة الاتفاق، فما الذي يعنيه ذلك؟
                    بعد جولات التفاوض الأخيرة، تعرّف العدو إلى تفاصيل لم يعتدها سابقاً من السياسيين اللبنانيين. وأدرك العدو، أيضاً، أن موقف المقاومة شكّل عامل كبح لأي تنازل إضافي يمكن أن يقدم عليه أحد في لبنان. لكن المقاومة لم تكن لتقف عند هذا الحد، خصوصاً عندما أعلمت العدو، بالخطاب وفي الميدان، أنها جاهزة لما هو أبعد بكثير من ضربة تذكيرية على غرار ما حصل يوم أرسلت المسيّرات فوق حقل «كاريش».
                    يقول لنا العدو، اليوم، إنه مستعد لنسف الاتفاق، وإنه في هذه الحالة يهدّد لبنان بحرمانه من الغاز والنفط وبتهديد أمنه وما تبقى لديه في حال حصول مواجهة عسكرية.
                    وما يهم العدو اليوم ليس موقف الحكومة اللبنانية فقط، بل ضمان تكبيل المقاومة من جهة، ومنع لبنان من البحث في أي واقع على الحدود البحرية أو البرية لاحقاً. وفي هذه الحالة، يُستحسن بالعدو أن يقرأ الموقف اللبناني بطريقة أخرى. ولمساعدته على ذلك، على العدو أن يعلم جيداً أن تعنّته سيقود إلى واقع مختلف تماماً:
                    – إن نسف الاتفاق يعني نسف المسار التفاوضي الذي عرفناه خلال الأشهر الماضية، والعودة إلى النقطة الصفر تعني العودة إلى سقف لبناني مختلف عما جرى التداول به. وهناك بحث جدي وجوهري بأنه في حال إصرار العدو على رفض الاتفاق، فإن السقف الجديد سيكون انطلاقاً من الخط 30+، وليس الوقوف عند الخط 23.
                    – إن نسف الاتفاق بحجة أن لبنان يرفض ترسيم الحدود البحرية والدولية الآن لا يُقلق المقاومة التي لا تعترف أساساً لا بالحدود القائمة الآن كأمر واقع ولا بالحدود كما رسمها الاستعمار. بالتالي فإن العدو سيكون معنياً بالجواب على سؤال يسبق كل هذا الكلام: هل يريد استخراج الغاز أم لا؟

                    تأخير الاتفاق إلى ما بعد عهد عون يجعل المقاومة الواثقة بالرئيس تستعيد الهامش الذي أعطته إياه


                    يعتقد العدو بأن تأخير العمل في حقل «كاريش»، مع مناورة تأخير الاتفاق، سيمنع المقاومة من التحرك، مفترضاً أن المسالة مرتبطة بـ«كاريش» فقط، ومتجاهلاً أن السبب الرئيسي لتحرك المقاومة هو القرار بفكّ الحصار الغربي عن لبنان وتحصيل الحقوق البحرية التي تساعد على مواجهة الأزمة. وسيكون مفيداً للعدو أن يطرح على نفسه سؤالاً عما إذا كانت المقاومة (في لبنان وفي فلسطين أيضاً) ستتركه يعمل بحرّية في بقية الحقول، وفق معادلة «ما بعد كاريش».
                    إذا كان في إسرائيل، أو في الولايات المتحدة، من يراهن على أن تأخير الاتفاق إلى ما بعد الانتخابات، سيسهّل الأمر في ظل تغييرات يتوقع الغرب حصولها لبنانياً على صعيد الرئاسة والحكومة، فإن هؤلاء لا يفهمون أهمية ثقة المقاومة بالرئيس ميشال عون على وجه الخصوص، وأنه في حال الشغور الرئاسي، أو في ظل الانقسام السياسي الجديد، فإن المقاومة ستستعيد هامشها الأكبر الذي قلّصته بنفسها لثقتها بالرئيس عون. بالتالي، فإن الرهان على تغييرات تقود لبنان إلى تنازلات في مرحلة لاحقة ينمّ عن عدم فهم جدي لاستراتيجية المقاومة وآلية تفكيرها.
                    أما الكلام المرتفع السقف الذي ضجّت به وسائل إعلام العدو أمس عن استنفار عسكري وعن تهديدات بتدمير لبنان وعن استعدادات للقيام بعملية عسكرية ضد المقاومة، فيدعو إلى السؤال عما إذا كان في إسرائيل من يصدّق أن هذا الأمر ممكن. وإذا ما غامر أحدهم، فعليه أن يستعدّ جيداً، لأن في قيادة المقاومة من لديه القدرة والإرادة على اتخاذ قرارات لا تترك معنى لأي اتفاق لترسيم الحدود البرية أو البحرية على حد سواء. أما الاعتقاد بأن التهديدات ستردع المقاومة، فالرد عليها يأتي من كلام رئيس الموساد الإسرائيلي ديدي بارنياع الذي قال أمس: «لقد تعهد نصرالله علناً ​​بمنع إنتاج الغاز من كاريش إذا لم يكن هناك اتفاق… وهناك خوف من أنه سيضطر لإظهار أنه يفي بكلمته».

                    من ملف : الاتفاق الآن… أو؟

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                    مسودة هوكشتين على الطريق... والملف بيد عون | ساعات الحسم: هل ترضخ إسرائيل بتجاهل النقطة B1
                    نماذج من صواريخ بر – بحر تملكها المقاومة في لبنان (أرشيف – الاعلام الحربي للمقاومة الاسلامية)

                    توقّع مصدر رسمي أن يتسلّم لبنان خلال الساعات المقبلة رسالة عاجلة من الوسيط الأميركي عاموس هوكشتين لترسيم الحدود البحرية بين لبنان وكيان الاحتلال. وقال المصدر إن السفيرة الأميركية في بيروت دوروثي شيا طلبت موعدا عاجلا لابلاغ الرئيس ميشال عون آخر المستجدات ربطاً بما تبلغه الجانب الأميركي من رد إسرائيلي على المطالب اللبنانية، بما في ذلك الاقتراح بعدم العمل على النقاط البرية الخاصة بترسيم الخط الجديد، والذي كان العدو يريد انتزاعه بحجة وجود منطقة أمنية داخل المياه الإقليمية للبنان.

                    وقال المصدر الرسمي إن لبنان يتوقع بعد ذلك مسودة الاتفاق على شكل نص واضح يبيّن حقوقه من دون أي التباس. وأوضح المصدر أن لبنان أكد لهوكشتين ضرورة عدم إرسال مسودة تتضمّن إشارة إلى النقاط البرية لأنها ستكون مرفوضة. وأن الوسيط الأميركي بنى على هذا الأساس تصوّره القائم على تحديد منطقة أمنية تبعد عن الشاطئ بقليل على أن يصار إلى البت بوضعها إمّا تحت وصاية الأمم المتحدة أو اعتبارها منطقة عازلة بين الطرفين.
                    وبحسب المصدر، فإن اقتراح لبنان جعل المنطقة الأمنية البحرية تحت وصاية القوة البحرية لقوات الأمم المتحدة لم يلق قبولاً من الجانب الإسرائيلي، فما كان على تل أبيب إلا القبول بالاقتراح الآخر الذي يقول بأن ما يجري العمل عليه لا علاقة له نهائياً بالنقطة B1، بالتالي فإن خط الطفافات لا يعني شيئاً، وتترك الأمور على حالها، وأن يصار إلى حصر النقاش بالخط 23 الذي يضمن لكل طرف البلوكات الكاملة التي تخصه. ورجح المصدر أن يكون هذا هو الحل إلا إذا بادر العدو إلى مفاجأة تدمر كل شيء.

                    وبناء عليه، قال المصدر إن الجانب الأميركي سيرسل إلى بيروت ما يكون قد نال موافقة إسرائيل، بالتالي فإن أحداً لا يتوقع المزيد من المفاوضات. وأن الرئيس ميشال عون يشكل فريقاً قانونياً وتقنياً وإدارياً سوف يعمل على درس المسودة بالتشاور مع الرئيسين نبيه بري ونجيب ميقاتي، كما سيتم التشاور مع قيادة حزب الله التي تنتظر الموقف الرسمي للبنان حتى تقرر خطواتها المقبلة، مع الإشارة إلى أن السيد حسن نصرالله سيتحدث اليوم في مناسبة دينية في الجنوب، وسط توقعات بأن يتطرق إلى ملف ترسيم الحدود من زاوية التذكير بأن التسويف والمماطلة يهددان أي تسوية وأن الوقت غير مفتوح إلى ما لا نهاية.

                    نصرالله يتحدث اليوم وعون يشكل فريقاً للتدقيق القانوني والتقني


                    وبحسب المصدر، فإن واشنطن التي تستعجل الحصول على موافقة مبدئية من الجانبين، تريد تحضير الأجواء لأجل إنجاز الاتفاق أو توقيع الأوراق في لقاء خاص يعقد في الناقورة بحضور ممثل عن الولايات المتحدة والأمم المتحدة قبل الإعلان رسمياً عن إنجاز الاتفاق. وأنه في هذه الحالة فإن إسرائيل ستعلن مباشرة الخطوات التنفيذية لاستخراج الغاز من حقل كاريش وبقية الحقول، كما ستعلن شركة «توتال» الفرنسية برنامجها لإطلاق عمليات التنقيب في الحقول اللبنانية وفق الاتفاقات المعمول بها مع وزارة الطاقة في لبنان.

                    في إسرائيل، تبدو المناخات «حذرة» للغاية في الساعات الأخيرة، وقيل الكثير في وسائل الإعلام الإسرائيلية عما سمي «في الطريق إلى الاتفاق مع لبنان» وجرى التركيز على «تقلص الجدول الزمني للاتفاق المحتمل، كون شركة «إنيرجيان» صاحبة حقوق التنقيب في حقل كاريش، تسعى للبدء باستخراج الغاز في منتصف تشرين الأول وهي تستعد من الآن لتجربة الضخ المعاكس للغاز، من الساحل إلى المنصة، قبل بدء الضخ إلى الساحل».
                    وقالت مصادر سياسية لإعلاميين إن هوكشتين يعد «اقتراحاً نهائياً مكتوباً للطرفين، بعدما قدَّم أفكاره الأخيرة إليهما شفهياً»، وأنه من المتوقع أن «ينعقد المجلس الوزاري المصغر يوم الخميس المقبل في أول جلسة حول التسوية المقترحة».
                    وقرأ الإسرائيليون أن حزب الله خفف من كلامه التصعيدي، وقالت تقارير عبرية إن الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصرالله، «لا يزال يهدد، لكن بنسبة أقل الآن. وهناك من يجد في مواقفه الأخيرة إشارات مشجعة على استعداده لقبول التسوية إذا تحققت». ونقلت عن مصادر معنية بالمفاوضات أن إسرائيل «قبلت» بأن «تبقى العقبة الأساسية التي ترتبط بترسيم دقيق للحدود على خط الساحل نفسه، من دون حسم وبقائها مفتوحة».
                    على أن هناك مشكلة لا تزال قائمة في إسرائيل وهي ليست موجودة في لبنان وتتعلق بمواقف المعارضين لحكومة يائير لابيد، حيث بدأ أتباع زعيم المعارضة بنيامين نتنياهو الحديث عن إقامة احتجاجات في هذا الشأن قرب منزل لابيد في تل أبيب. من الممكن أيضاً لاحقاً تقديم اعتراضات إلى المحكمة العليا، في محاولة ضعيفة لطلب عرض الاتفاق على استفتاءٍ عام.

                    في السياق نفسه، يبدو أن جميع المعنيين بالاتفاق في لبنان وإسرائيل والولايات المتحدة والغرب يهتمون للجانب الإخراجي من حيث الشكل. حيث يتوقع أن تكون هناك احتفالات في لبنان ابتهاجاً بالإنجاز الكبير، بينما ستروج الولايات المتحدة لمنطق المفاوضات كممر لتحقيق التسويات، فيما سيكون الأمر مادة للسجالات الواسعة في إسرائيل وسط حمى الانتخابات، خصوصاً مع الفريق الذي يعتبر أن لابيد خضع للمقاومة. وكان لافتاً ما قاله المستشرق والباحث المعروف في مركز بيغن-السادات، الدكتور إدي كوهين من أن حكومة لابيد خضعت للسيد نصرالله، ورداً على سؤال حول ما إن كان يصدّق أمين عام حزب الله، أجاب الدكتور كوهين: نعم أنا أصدقه.

                    مقالات ذات صلة

                    Hezbollah Emerging as Winner from ‘Israel’-Lebanon Maritime Talks

                    September 24, 2022 

                    By Tony Badran | FDD.org

                    ‘Israel’ and Lebanon are apparently close to a final agreement delineating their maritime border after a Lebanese government delegation met with the Biden administration’s energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, this week in New York. If the deal goes through, the Biden administration will have turned Hezbollah into a significant player in the Eastern Mediterranean energy industry, a development that will both enrich the group and expand its regional influence.

                    While the Lebanese delegation consisted of government officials, the real, if indirect, interlocutor for the Biden administration was always Hezbollah. The group’s chief, [Sayyed] Hassan Nasrallah, set the parameters and the tempo of the negotiations and has found an eager and cooperative partner in the Biden team. In fact, Hochstein leveraged Hezbollah’s threats to obtain major ‘Israeli’ concessions.

                    With talks apparently headed toward the finish line, Nasrallah reiterated last week the ultimatum that has framed the talks. As before, Nasrallah threatened to ‘attack’ ‘Israel’s’ Karish offshore gas rig, unless the US and ‘Israel’ agreed to his conditions before starting to pump gas from Karish. The Hezbollah leader said, “our red line is the start of extraction at Karish. … We cannot allow for oil and gas extraction from Karish before Lebanon obtains its rights.” Nasrallah added, “our eyes and our missiles are [fixed] on Karish.”

                    Nasrallah’s threats are cost-free, especially as he knows the Biden administration has leveraged them to impose a sense of urgency on ‘Israel’s’ caretaker government to concede Lebanon’s demands and conclude the agreement without any escalation.

                    Based on official Lebanese statements and reports in pro-Hezbollah media, the talks are in their final stage and Hochstein is supposed to submit a formal draft agreement shortly. While the details of a final agreement have not been made public, the satisfied assessments from the Lebanese side indicate that Washington has managed to extract critical concessions from ‘Israel’ that meet Hezbollah’s demands. First, ‘Israel’ will cede the entire disputed area of 854 square kilometers of Mediterranean waters. It will also cede the whole of a prospective gas field that protrudes into ‘Israeli’ waters beyond Line 23, which Lebanon has filed as its border.

                    ‘Israel’ has reportedly requested a buffer area extending a few kilometers out to sea from its land border with Lebanon. UN peacekeepers would presumably monitor the area, although ‘Israel’ would still cede sovereignty to Lebanon. The details of this buffer area and its coordinates were reportedly the final item to be determined. Once the agreement is finalized, French energy giant TotalEnergies would begin operations in Lebanon’s Block 9.

                    Despite concerns of a conflagration before the end of September, given Hezbollah’s threats against Karish, Nasrallah’s speech affirmed the likelihood of that scenario was small. He was clear that an ‘Israeli’ test of the gas transport system from the Karish platform to the shore and back would not cross Hezbollah’s red line.

                    The key Hezbollah condition was for production at Karish to be frozen until the consortium led by TotalEnergies had agreed it would begin drilling for gas in Block 9 of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone, which ‘Israel’ now will have conceded in full. The Biden administration sought to satisfy that condition, meeting with French officials and TotalEnergies executives to discuss the start of operations.

                    If a border agreement is finalized, the Biden administration will have set a terrible precedent by leveraging Hezbollah threats to secure ‘Israeli’ concessions that enrich and empower the group. The administration will also have turned Hezbollah into a significant player in Eastern Mediterranean energy, enshrining the group’s partnership with France and its investments in Lebanon. The precedent might even extend beyond Lebanon as now Hezbollah is encouraging Hamas to follow its lead with gas fields off the coast of Gaza.

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                    ‘Israel’ Surrenders to Hezbollah: Zionist Media

                    September 20, 2022

                    The various Zionist media outlets and political analysts mocked the statement of the Israeli government which announced that gas extraction from Karish field will start regardless of the indirect agreement with Lebanon on the maritime border demarcation.

                    The Israeli circles confirmed that Hezbollah managed to impose its formulas on the Zionist side regarding the maritime dispute, adding that Sayyed Nasrallah’s threats are the main factor taken into consideration by the decision makers in Tel Aviv.

                    The Arab affairs expert Zvi Yehezkeli said that the postponement of the gas extraction from Karish is not technical, as announced, adding that Nasrallah’s threats affect ‘Israel’.

                    The Israeli security institution is concerned about facing more of Hezbollah provocative acts, such as flying drones over Karish rig, according to the Zionist military expert, Roi Sharon.

                    According to media reports, the Lebanese Deputy House Speaker Elias Abou Saab met with the US energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, in the margins of the UN General assembly in New York.

                    Meanwhile, the Zionist media concentrated on the scene of the direct confrontation between Al-Manar reporter Ali Shoeib and the Zionist soldiers on Lebanon’s southern borders, considering that this comes in the context of the upcoming war between the two sides.

                    Source: Al-Manar English Website

                    Netanyahu ‘blows a fuse’ over Lapid’s Karish concessions to Hezbollah

                    21 Sep 2022

                    Source: Al Mayadeen Net

                    By Al Mayadeen English 

                    Former Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Yair Lapid panicked and retreated following Sayyed Nasrallah’s threats, thus yielding to Lebanese demands.

                    Former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival, Israeli PM Yair Lapid

                      Former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Tuesday his political rival, Israeli PM Yair Lapid, saying that the latter retreated following Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s threats.

                      In a video message posted on his Twitter account, Netanyahu said Sayyed Nasrallah threatened Lapid that Hezbollah will attack “Israel” in the event of operating the Karish field before signing an indirect gas agreement with Lebanon.

                      The former Israeli Prime Minister considered that Lapid panicked and failed to operate Karish, noting that now, he [Lapid] wants to give Lebanon – without any Israeli supervision – a gas field worth billions of dollars that would help Hezbollah possess thousands of missiles and shells that will be target “Israel”.

                      Addressing Israelis, Netanyahu said that on November 1, the Likud party, under his presidency, will replace Lapid’s weak and dangerous Israeli government with a stable right-wing government for the next four years; a government, according to Netanyahu, that will restore security and the dignity of “Israel”.

                      “Israel” made concessions to avoid escalation in Karish: IOF official

                      Earlier, the Israeli Maariv newspaper quoted Amos Yadlin, former IOF Military Intelligence Directorate as saying that “Israel has made concessions in favor of Lebanon to demarcate the border to ward off the danger of escalation.”

                      “Israel is showing leniency in the demarcation of the maritime borders,” Yadlin said, threatening Lebanon that the IOF does not want it to turn into Gaza.

                      He highlighted the prominent role played by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in this case, “which is indicative of the fact that he controls what is happening in Lebanon politically and militarily, which may push the Lebanese and the Israelis to a place that the two do not want,” as he put it.

                      The former IOF official claimed that “Israel today has accepted the Lebanese line, and therefore, there is no place for Nasrallah’s demands concerning the Ras Al-Naqoura area.”

                      Read more: Lebanese-Israeli maritime talks to end in few days: official

                      Referring to the area adjacent to an area the IOF usurped from the Palestinians and consequently occupied, Yadlin insolently demanded “compensation for ceding the maritime economic zone in Ras Al-Naqoura and all the region to the south Qana field.”

                      “We insist on these points,” he said, claiming that Sayyed Nasrallah “here has been trying to cause distortion.”

                      Furthermore, Yadlin claimed that Karish is “purely Israeli” and that “we have to pump gas from there,” continuing to say, “The moment you concede to Nasrallah just once, you have to follow it with setting limits, because if the situation deteriorates toward an inevitable war, we know that we have done everything we can to prevent it.”

                      This comes as Israeli media reported Monday that the signing between “Israel” and Lebanon of the agreement “on the maritime borders” is very close, stressing that what remains are “some technical details.”

                      Similarly, Lebanese President Michel Aoun confirmed that negotiations related to the demarcation of the maritime border with “Israel” are in their final stages.

                      Read next: US mediator made new proposal to Lebanese-Israeli maritime issue

                      Fearing escalation, IOF request clarification on Karish statement

                      Last week, Israeli media said that “it was the Israeli army that requested that clarification be issued regarding [an Israeli statement regarding] the Karish field, in order not to provoke tensions against Hezbollah.”

                      Israeli Channel 13 stated that “the fear of a confrontation with Hezbollah has increased in recent weeks regarding the Karish gas platform. Despite Israel’s announcement that the next stage regarding the activation of the platform will begin soon, it has indicated, exceptionally, that the talk is not about extracting gas from it.”

                      Channel 13 political affairs correspondent, Moriah Wahlberg, pointed out that “this clarification was not made in vain, but is rather aimed primarily at the ears of Hezbollah, as they in Israel do not want to create, provoke, and increase tensions, especially since these tensions already exist on this issue.”

                      Wahlberg pointed out that “there is a disagreement in the Israeli leadership regarding the text of this statement, which was issued by the Ministry of Energy,” stressing that “some parties believed that this clarification should not be given in the matter of natural gas extraction, but parties in the army requested that this clarification be issued in order to avoid tensions with Hezbollah.”

                      Read more: “Israel” fears military escalation against the Karish platform

                      It is noteworthy that a source familiar with the matter revealed to Al Mayadeen, on September 11, that the US envoy for the demarcation of the maritime border, Amos Hochstein, handed Lebanon the coordinates of the line of maritime buoys, explaining that these coordinates constitute the “last point that is being negotiated,” in preparation for sending his [Hochstein’s] “full offer” next week.

                      اسرائيل تقرّ بمعادلة المقاومة: الاستخراج بعد الاتفاق

                      ما هي الرسالة التي بعث بها حزب الله؟ خلافات إسرائيلية يحسمها قرار رفيع بإعلان تأجيل الاستخراج

                      الإثنين 19 أيلول 2022

                      علي حيدر  

                      أحدثت رسائل حزب الله شرخاً في التقدير والموقف لدى قيادة العدو وجيشه حول كيفية التعامل معها، في ضوء المخاطر الكامنة في كل من الخيارات الماثلة أمامهم. وفرضت مواقف السيد حسن نصر الله نفسها على المشهد في كيان الاحتلال، وخصوصاً إعلانه الأخير، السبت الماضي، عن رسالة بعثت بها المقاومة الى العدوّ تحذّر من بدء الاستخراج من حقل «كاريش» قبل الاتفاق مع لبنان. فيما استكمل الفريق التقني اللبناني الدراسة الأولية حول واقع الخطوط الحدودية، على ضوء مقترحات عاموس هوكشتين الأخيرة، مع تقديرات تشير الى احتمال الوصول الى حل لـ«المنطقة الأمنية» بما يرضي الجانبين

                      شكّلت الرسالة التي أعلن الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصر الله أن المقاومة وجّهتها إلى العدو والأميركيين، بعيداً من الإعلام، ومفادها أنه «سيكون هناك مشكل في حال بدء الاستخراج من حقل كاريش قبل الاتفاق مع لبنان»، إطاراً كاشفاً لخلفية البيان التوضيحي الذي أصدرته وزارة الطاقة الإسرائيلية وأكدت فيه أن ما ستقوم به في الأيام المقبلة ليس سوى إجراء اختباري لنظام الضخ. ومنعاً لأيّ التباس، سمحت الأجهزة الأمنية لوسائل الإعلام بالكشف عن أن الجيش هو الذي طلب من وزارة الطاقة إصدار البيان وأنه هو من أملى صياغته أيضاً. في غضون ذلك، أملت ‏وزيرة الطاقة الإسرائيلية كارين الهرار، أمس، « بصدق أن نتمكن من التوصل إلى اتفاق. لدينا التزامات تجاه السوق المحلي والدولي، لذلك يجب أن يتدفق الغاز في أقرب وقت ممكن».

                      وكشفت القناة 13 العبرية عن خلافات داخل المنظومتين القيادية والأمنية، بين مؤيد ومعارض لإصدار البيان التوضيحي. وبلغ الخلاف حدّ رفعه إلى رئيس مجلس الأمن القومي إيال حولاتا الذي حسم الموقف لمصلحة إصدار البيان. فيما لم يجر تناول طبيعة الرسالة التي بعث بها حزب الله.
                      ويبدو أن معارضي الرد على رسالة نصر الله، بإصدار بيان توضيحي، ينطلقون من تقدير أن هذه الخطوة ستُقدِّم إسرائيل كمن يخشى المواجهة العسكرية مع حزب الله، وتؤشر الى تسليم عملي بالمعادلة التي أرساها الحزب. كما ستؤدي الى تعزيز موقف لبنان الذي سيلمس مسؤولوه بشكل لا لبس فيه حجم حضور المقاومة وفعاليتها، ما يؤثّر سلباً على الموقف التفاوضي الإسرائيلي.

                      على أن مؤيدي إصدار البيان التوضيحي لا يمكنهم إنكار هذه الدلالات. لكنهم تصرّفوا بواقعية وتعاملوا وفق مبدأ الخشية من أن يدفع الامتناع عن التوضيح حزب الله الى خطوات تؤدي الى تطورات دراماتيكية، وتضع إسرائيل أمام اختبار ميداني مفصلي، وهو ما تسعى حتى الآن الى تجنّبه. ويعكس موقف هؤلاء أيضاً حقيقة أنهم يأخذون تهديدات حزب الله بكامل الجدية، ويحرصون على ضرورة إفساح المجال للمفاوضات من أجل بلورة اتفاق يحول دون المواجهة. أضف الى ذلك أن هذا الموقف يتلاءم مع التوجه الأميركي الذي عبَّر عنه الرئيس الأميركي جو بايدن في اتصاله الأخير برئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي يائير لابيد، وأكد فيه ضرورة التوصل الى اتفاق مع لبنان خلال الأسابيع المقبلة.

                      نصرالله أهم تهديد لإسرائيل

                      نقلت القناة 12 العبرية، أمس، عن قائد شعبة العمليات السابق في أركان جيش العدو اللواء إسرائيل زيف أن الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصرالله «يشكل بالنسبة للجيش والمؤسسة الأمنية، أهم تهديد منذ انهيار الجيوش النظامية في محيطنا»، داعياً إلى «مراقبة شخصيته وطريقة تفكيره. وهذا دائماً ما كان على رأس جدول أعمال ضباط كبار، وبالتأكيد بالنسبة لي شخصياً».

                      مع ذلك، فإن الخلاف داخل المنظومة المهنية – الاستخبارية يعكس أيضاً عمق هذا الخلاف وعدم استعداد أيّ من الطرفين للتنازل عن موقفه. وهو أمر مفهوم وغير مفاجئ في ضوء المعادلة الحادّة التي فرضها حزب الله: إما استخراج لبنان وكيان العدو للغاز، أو لا استخراج للطرفين مهما كانت الأثمان والتداعيات، وخصوصاً أن قيادة العدو وجدت نفسها أمام خيارين (الاتفاق أو فشل المفاوضات)، ستكون لهما تداعياتهما التي تتعلّق بموقع المقاومة في معادلة الردع، وبصورتها كضرورة وطنية لانتزاع ثروات لبنان وحمايتها، وهو ما يتعارض مع الجهود التي تبذلها واشنطن وتل أبيب بهدف إظهارها كعبء على لبنان والمنطقة.

                      ‘Israel’ Denies Starting Gas Extraction from Karish, Hopes Lebanon Accepts Hochstein’s Final Proposal

                       September 17, 2022

                      The Israeli circles denied the media reports about starting gas extraction from Karish field, noting that pumping gas through the platform’s pipes will be experimental.

                      Zionist Channel 13 noted that denying those reports aimed at preventing any escalation with Hezbollah, knowing that the Resistance had threatened to strike the platform if ‘Israel’ operates it before Lebanon obtains its rights.

                      According to the Israeli Channel, the US energy envoy Amos Hochstein will submit his final proposal during his upcoming visit to Beirut, hoping that the Lebanese officials accept it.

                      In a speech delivered Saturday on Arbaeen, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah reiterated that extracting the oil and gas off Lebanese shore is a golden chance to cope with the current economic crisis.

                      “We won’t allow the Israeli enemy to extract oil and gas from Karish before restoring Lebanon’s legitimate rights.”

                      The Israeli officials said that the extraction will take place in September but they delayed the process, the Lebanese resistance leader stated.

                      “Hezbollah’s red line is the start of the Israeli extraction of gas in Karish.” His eminence revealed here that Hezbollah has recently delivered a strong message to the Zionist entity, warning behind the scenes that the Tel Aviv Regime will be facing a real trouble in case it started gas extraction in the disputed field.

                      “Our aim is to enable the Lebanese government from investing in its maritime wealth, and this issue is not related to any affair,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, responding to accusations that Hezbollah has been trying to relate the maritime border talks to Iran nuclear deal talks.

                      His eminence then affirmed that all threats made by Israeli officials “won’t turn a hair” of Hezbollah, saying that both ‘Israel’ and US knows very well that the Lebanese resistance is adamant regarding threats he made on the maritime border affair.

                      Sayyed Nasrallah noted that Hezbollah has been calm in the latest weeks in a bid to give opportunity for talks, but stressed that the “eyes and missiles are on Karish.”

                      Source: Al-Manar English Website

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                      Sayyed Nasrallah: Hezbollah’s Eyes & Missiles Are on Karish, We Do Not Fear Any Imposed Confrontation

                      September 17, 2022

                      By Al-Ahed News, Live Coverage

                      Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech at the end of the Arbaeen procession that headed towards the shrine of Sayyeda Khawal [AS] in Baalbek on September 17, 2022.

                      Sayyed Nasrallah began his speech by condoling Muslims on the Arbaeen of Imam Hussein [AS] and thanks the participants in the Arbaeen March who walked to the holy shrine of Imam Hussein daughter, Sayyeda Khawla in Baalbek.

                      In his speech, the Secretary General talked about the most important lessons of the Arbaeen saying, “Looking back at the stances of Imam al-Sajjad and Sayyeda Zeinab [AS] in Yazid’s palace, a believer could never show weakness or despair no matter how hard the calamities and the circumstances are.”

                      In the light of this, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that “The remembrance of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] and his household is eternal until the Day of Resurrection.”

                      The Resistance Leader affirmed, “There is no place for humiliation, but rather for moving on based on the long history of faith in the future and the divine promise.”

                      Also, in his speech, His Eminence addressed the Iraqi people thanking them for their great generosity, hospitality, and love they have been showing for the visitors of Imam Hussein [AS].

                      “We must thank our brothers and sisters in Iraq, the authorities and the people, for their immense generosity, time, effort, and management of this grand event,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

                      His Eminence highlighted that “The Arbaeen Walk in Iraq, in which 20 million visitors took part, is unprecedented in history on the level of the participating masses.”

                       “At least hundreds of thousands of those walked the road leading from Najaf to Karbala. Those visitors went there with their own money; states do not fund this ziyara. Those 20 million visitors are 20 million hearts beating in the love of Imam Hussein [AS]. The poor and the needy are the first we see there,” Sayyed Nasrallah clarified.

                      Elsewhere in his speech, the Hezbollah SG recalled the Sabra and Shatila Massacre which was carried out from the 16th of September, 1982, and until the 18th of the same month.

                      Sayyed Nasrallah explained, “The ‘Israeli’ enemy sponsored the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, but it was mainly perpetrated by certain Lebanese sides that are known and that were allied with ‘Israel’ militarily in the invasion of 1982.”

                      “The Sabra and Shatila Massacre could amount to the biggest and most heinous massacre that was committed in the history of the Arab-‘Israeli’ conflict,” the Resistance Leader added, remembering that “Around 1900 Lebanese martyrs and some 3000 Palestinian martyrs were the victims of the Sabra and Shatila Massacre.”

                      His Eminence said that the Sabra and Shatila Massacre remains “The most horrific to have been carried out by ‘Israel’s’ tools in Lebanon, and the ones responsible for it were never held accountable for it.”

                      Sayyed Nasrallah slammed those who have been sowing strife in Lebanon saying, “We’ve been hearing phrases comparing ‘our Lebanon’ and ‘your Lebanon’, telling us we do not belong to ‘their’ Lebanon. I tell them that the Sabra and Shatila Massacre is one of the faces of ‘their’ Lebanon! The liberation of the South is the face of our Lebanon!”

                      “The culture of death belongs to those who committed the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, while the culture of life belongs to those who liberated South Lebanon without even killing a chicken! They say the massacre was carried out to avenge Bachir Gemayel. They took revenge from who? From innocent civilians! Whereas during our fight, we did not even kill a chicken! Who are the ones of a death culture?!” the Hezbollah SG exclaimed.

                      Elsewhere in his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah said, “The American guarantees neither protected the Lebanese and the Palestinians in Sabra and Shatila nor elsewhere. Anyone who trusts the Americans in this sense is offering their men, women, children, and even the unborn to be slaughtered.”

                      The Resistance chief hailed the Palestinian youths, particularly those in the occupied West Bank, for their active presence in the field of resistance.

                      “The enemy now is frightened by the resistance of the West Bank as it is fighting its young generation,” His Eminence said.

                      Relatedly, Sayyed Nasrallah praised Hamas’ latest statement on resuming ties with Syria as a respected choice, saying, “Palestine’s priority lies in fighting the ‘Israeli’ enemy and the confrontation with the ‘Israeli’ enemy will prevail all stances as per the statement issued by Hamas.”

                      His Eminence went on to say, “The Syrian leadership and people will remain the true supported of the Palestinian people and are bearing the sacrifices for their sake,” adding, “Resistance, and not begging, is the sole way to reclaim the rights.”

                      Regarding the extraction of gas from the Karish platform, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that “Lebanon is in front of a golden opportunity that might not be repeated, which is extracting gas to solve its crisis.”

                      “We sent a powerful message warning that the enemy not to extract from the Karish field until Lebanon is given its rights, as this would be crossing a red line,” the Resistance Leader said.

                      “We offered the negotiations a true opportunity in which Lebanon extracts gas and we were not after any trouble,” His Eminence explained, saying, “We are not part of the maritime border demarcation negotiations, but our eyes are on Karish, as are our missiles.”

                      Sayyed Nasrallah went on to say, “I believe that the ‘Israelis’, the Americans, and others have enough info for them to know that the Resistance is very serious in its warnings, and that we don’t fear any confrontation if it was forced upon us.”

                      Another issue His Eminence addressed during his speech was the UNIFIL’s mandate in Lebanon.

                      “The most recent development regarding the UNIFIL is an act of aggression and a violation of the Lebanese sovereignty; it reflects the absence of the aging state and the one behind this ‘Israeli’ trap is either ignorant or traitor,” Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out.

                      His Eminence added, “The latest decision regarding the UNIFIL would have exposed Lebanon to grave dangers, but the stance of the Lebanese state was a good one.”

                      Concerning the issue of the government formation, Sayyed Nasrallah said that hopes are high, warning that the country must not enter a presidential void.

                      “Everybody should offer compromises so that electing a president would take place in its due constitutional time,” the Resistance chief said, saying, “Threats are futile and we support calls for agreeing on a president with meetings being held away from tensions and vetoes.”

                      Sayyed Nasrallah focused on the issue that “The President of the Republic must enjoy a wide popular and political base to assume his legal and constitutional duties.”

                      In his comments about the events surrounding the banking sector, the Hezbollah Secretary General said, “Dealing with the security level is insufficient and officials must form a crisis and emergency cell to finds real solutions.”

                      The Resistance leader summed up his address by stressing the importance of the popular support base that the coming president should have in order to be able to fulfill his duties adequately.

                      “No matter how hard the difficulties in Lebanon and the region are, we will definitely emerge victorious and our people will be able to enforce their will,” Sayyed Nasrallah concluded.

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