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”.
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.
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”.
ما «بشّرت» به مساعدة وزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى، باربرا ليف، أول من أمس، باستمرار الحصار الأميركي على لبنان وبأن «اللبنانيين سيضطرّون إلى تحمّل مزيد من الألم»، بدأت ملامحه بالظهور مع إبلاغ واشنطن رئيس الحكومة نجيب ميقاتي رفضها قبول لبنان هبة الفيول الإيراني، تحت طائلة الخضوع للعقوبات الأميركية
في كلمته الأخيرة لشرح اتفاق الترسيم البحري على الحدود الجنوبية، في 29 الشهر الماضي، كانت لافتة إشارة الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصرالله إلى هبة الفيول الإيراني للبنان، عندما قال: «الأميركيون لا يسمحون للغاز المصري والكهرباء الأردنية بالوصول إلى لبنان، وسترون غداً ما سيكون موقفهم من هبة الفيول التي عرضت الجمهورية الإسلامية في إيران تقديمها للبنان، وإن غداً لناظره قريب»… وبالفعل، بعد أيام قليلة من كلام نصرالله، أبلغت الولايات المتحدة لبنان، رسمياً، أن ليس في إمكانه قبول الهبة الإيرانية، كون النفط الإيراني يخضع للعقوبات الأميركية، أياً يكن الشكل الذي يجري تبادله به، سواء مجاناً أو تجارياً، وذلك وفق قوانين فرضتها واشنطن على طهران بعد انسحاب الولايات المتحدة من الاتفاق النووي الإيراني في عهد إدارة الرئيس الأميركي السابق دونالد ترامب عام 2018.
مصادر مطلعة أبلغت «الأخبار» أنه مع إعلان نصرالله، في تموز الماضي، استعداد إيران لتزويد معامل الكهرباء اللبنانية بالفيول مجاناً، وفق اتفاق مع الحكومة اللبنانية، تواصلت الجهات الرسمية المعنية مع مسؤولين أميركيين، وفهمت بأن العقوبات الأميركية لا تشمل الهبات طالما أنها لا تتضمن أي مقايضة مادية أو عينية. لكن تبيّن لاحقاً أن هذا الموقف لم يكن رسمياً، وأن الأميركيين تعمّدوا على ما يبدو «المغمغة» لئلا يؤثر تصريحهم بالرفض على مفاوضات ترسيم الحدود البحرية مع «إسرائيل». وعندما سُئل الوسيط الأميركي عاموس هوكشتين عن الأمر، لم يعطِ موقفاً حاسماً، وأبلغ وزير الطاقة وليد فياض بأن يترك الأمر لرئيس الحكومة لأن مثل هذا القرار يحتاج إلى موافقة مجلس الوزراء، وهو ما أثنت عليه يومها السفيرة الأميركية دوروثي شيا. وعلى ما يبدو أيضاً، فإن رئيس الحكومة نجيب ميقاتي كان على علم بحقيقة الموقف الأميركي، إلا أنه ساير «المغمغة» الأميركية بـ«مغمغة» ميقاتية مماثلة. فبعد أخذ ورد، وتذرع مرة بضرورة التأكد من أن الهبة مجانية، وأخرى بعدم مطابقة الفيول الإيراني لمواصفات المعامل اللبنانية، اضطر رئيس الحكومة تحت ضغط الانقطاع التام للتيار الكهربائي، إلى الخضوع وتشكيل وفد تقني لزيارة طهران والبحث في أمر الهبة، ودائماً مع شروط و«تكبير الحجر» من نوع طلب زيادة كمية الهبة بما يسمح بزيادة ساعات التغذية إلى ثمان يومياً. كما أصر ميقاتي على إبعاد أي «شبهة» سياسية عن الوفد الذي رفض أن يترأسه وزير الطاقة. وفي كل هذه المحطات، أبدى الجانب الإيراني تفهّماً للحرج اللبناني وأبدى انفتاحاً كبيراً على التعاون.
منتصف أيلول الماضي زار الوفد الذي ضم المدير العام للنفط أورور فغالي ومدير الإنتاج في كهرباء لبنان بشارة عطية طهران للتفاوض حول الشروط وطبيعة الهبة والجانب التقني ونوعية الفيول. ولدى عودته، أعدّ الوفد تقريراً، وأبلغ الجهات الرسمية أنه في صدد مناقشة مذكرة تفاهم مع الجانب الإيراني. واستمر التواصل بين الجانبين حتى الأسبوع الأخير من الشهر الماضي، عندما أرسل الجانب الإيراني مسودة لمذكرة التفاهم تضمّنت إشارة واضحة إلى أن الأمر عبارة عن هبة لا مقابل مادياً لها، وذلك لمساعدة لبنان على مواجهة الضغوط الأميركية. مطلع الشهر الجاري، أرسل فياض المسودة والتفاصيل التقنية إلى رئاسة الحكومة للحصول على الموافقة، بما أن الأمر يحتاج إلى قرار من مجلس الوزراء. وليس إلى قرار من الوزير، ليتبين أن ميقاتي كان قد بدأ اتصالات جانبية مع الأميركيين، وأنه تبلّغ من مكتب قانوني في الولايات المتحدة استعان به بأن الهبات الإيرانية تخضع للعقوبات حتى ولو كانت مجانية. كما تبلّغ رئيس الحكومة، رسمياً، بأن عليه مراسلة وزارة الخزانة الأميركية لطلب إذن خاص (مماثل لإذن أُعطي للعراق لشراء الفيول الإيراني لمعامل الكهرباء)، يسمح للبنان بالحصول على هذه الهبة من دون تعريضه لأي عقوبات. وبحسب المصادر، فإن الاتصالات الجانبية تؤكّد أن الجانب الأميركي لن يوافق على منح لبنان أي استثناء، وإن الموقف الأميركي لا يزال ضاغطاً لمنع لبنان من الاستفادة من إيران أو من روسيا.
الجانب الأميركي لن يوافق على منح لبنان أي استثناء شبيه بالإذن الممنوح للعراق
وبناء عليه، فإن ملف الهبة الإيرانية الذي كان يتيح لشركة كهرباء لبنان مضاعفة مستوى الإنتاج ما يزيد التغذية إلى 4 أو 5 ساعات يومياً، صار محل تجاذب داخلي جديد، وعلى الأغلب، فإن ميقاتي لن يغامر بخوض مواجهة لا يريدها مع الأميركيين الذين نكثوا من جهة أخرى بوعودهم بالضغط على البنك الدولي لتمويل استجرار الغاز من مصر والكهرباء من الأردن. وفي هذا السياق، عاد البنك الدولي إلى التشدد في شروطه من أجل الموافقة على التمويل، ومنها تشكيل الهيئة الناظمة وتعديل القوانين بما يفصل بين صلاحياتها وصلاحيات وزارة الطاقة، الأمر الذي يحتاج إلى وجود حكومة وإلى موازنة خاصة، وهو ما لا يبدو ممكناً في ظل الظروف الحالية. لذلك، يبدو أن ميقاتي قرّر التوجه إلى مصرف لبنان من أجل تمويل مناقصة شراء الفيول لمصلحة مؤسسة كهرباء لبنان لرفع ساعات التغذية. وفي هذا السياق، يعقد اليوم في السراي اجتماع يرأسه ميقاتي ويحضره فياض ووزير المال يوسف خليل وحاكم مصرف لبنان رياض سلامة للبحث في تأمين المصرف المركزي الضمانات المالية لمناقصات شراء كمية من الفيول لخمسة أشهر بقيمة 600 مليون دولار، ما يتيح رفع ساعات التغذية إلى عشر ساعات يومياً على الأقل. ومن غير الواضح ما إذا كان ميقاتي قد حصل على دعم الرئيس نبيه بري وقيادات سياسية أخرى بالضغط على سلامة لتوفير هذه الضمانات.
هناك كثير من الاعتبارات التي لا يمكن لدمشق أن تقفز عنها فضلاً عن رفضها التعامل على «القطعة» (أ ف ب)
في المحصلة، قد يكون الإشكال البروتوكولي أعاق ترتيب زيارة الوفد اللبناني إلى سوريا غداً، وقد يكون هناك استعجال أو «مَوْنة» مارسها بعض اللبنانيين لترتيب تواصل بالطريقة التي أظهرت استخفافاً أدّى إلى احتجاج سوري تمثّل في الإعلان عن عدم وجود توافق مسبق على الموعد، وأن الأمر اقتصر على اتصال أولي بين الرئيسين ميشال عون وبشار الأسد للمباشرة في إجراءات ترسيم الحدود البحرية بين البلدين.
وبمعزل عن كل التعليقات التي ستصدر من الجهات الرسمية في البلدين، أو من الجهات السياسية المؤيدة أو المعارضة لسوريا في لبنان، فإن أصل المشكلة يعود، مرة جديدة، إلى أن المسؤولين عن إدارة الدولة في لبنان لا يزالون يعيشون في الأعوام 2012 و2013 و2014، وكأنهم لم يدركوا بعد نتائج الحرب الكونية التي فرضت على سوريا، ولا يزالون يتجاهلون نتائج الأزمة التي أصابت لبنان بفعل ما حلّ بسوريا. والكارثة أنه إلى جانب استمرار المسؤولين اللبنانيين (ليس جميعهم) بالتواصل من خلف الستارة مع سوريا خشية الغضب الأميركي والأوروبي والخليجي، فإن هؤلاء لم يشعروا بأن الأمور تبدلت كثيراً، وأن مصلحة لبنان تقتضي إعادة الاعتبار إلى العلاقات الطبيعية، بل المميزة، مع سوريا نظراً إلى أهمية ذلك على المستويات كافة. وهو ما يؤكده التنسيق المطلوب بين البلدين في شأن ملفات النازحين والتهريب عبر الحدود والملفّات الأمنية والتبادل التجاري وتمرير الكهرباء والغاز من مصر والأردن ومصير اليد العاملة السورية في لبنان أو اليد المهنية التي تحتاجها سوريا، إضافة إلى أن في لبنان من ينسى أن عشرات الآلاف من السوريين هم أيضاً من ضحايا النظام المصرفي المجنون الذي أنهك لبنان برعاية حاكم مصرف لبنان، ويتجاهل أن هناك مودعين سوريين خسروا أموالهم التي استخدمت في إنعاش الاقتصاد اللبناني خلال عقدين على الأقل.
الفكرة، ببساطة، هي أن في لبنان من لا يعي أنه لا يمكنه انتظار الإذن الأميركي أو الخليجي لينطلق في علاقات حقيقية، وأن ينبغي التوقف عن ألاعيب الإحراج أو التواصل في العتمة. وهذا يفترض إعادة النظر في آليات بديهية، منها اختيار من يمكنه إعادة وصل ما انقطع من تواصل ضروري على أكثر من صعيد. فكيف الحال، والملف المطروح اليوم يتعلق بعمليات تنقيب واستخراج للنفط والغاز من حقول مشتركة بين البلدين، وحيث هناك حاجة كبيرة إلى التنسيق في الأعمال من جهة والتسويق من جهة ثانية.
فيما ظلّت الاستفاقة المُتأخرة على ملف ترسيم الحدود البحرية مع سورية عشية مغادرة الرئيس ميشال عون قصر بعبدا «لُغزاً»، دهمَ الردّ السوري المشهد السياسي ليلاً بعدَ الكشف عن إلغاء الحكومة السورية «الزيارة التي كانت مقررة (غداً) الأربعاء وأنها بعثت برسالة إلى وزارة الخارجية اللبنانية تقول فيها إن الوقت غير مناسب لمثل هذه الزيارة». هذا ما لم يدخُل في حسبان المعنيين الذين توهموا أن سوريا ستفتح الباب أمام انفتاح لبناني ظلّ محصوراً بقنوات غير رسمية وغير معلنة رغمَ القطيعة التي مارستها الحكومات انصياعاً للغرب وتحديداً للولايات المتحدة، فضلاً عن عدم قيام رئيس الجمهورية بأي خطوات لكسر هذه القطيعة. وربما غابَ عن حسابات الذين سارعوا أو «تسرّعوا» في «قطف» هذا الملف وتسجيله كإنجاز أن هناك الكثير من الظروف والاعتبارات التي لا يمكن لدمشق أن تقفِز عنها، فضلاً عن رفضها التعامل على «القطعة». كل هذه أمور وأسباب لم تذكرها الرسالة التي وصلت إلى بيروت، لكن لمن يعرف تفاصيل وأجواء العلاقة لم يكُن هذا الجواب مفاجئاً.
الرواية الرسمية أو شبه الرسمية التي يتناقلها المعنيون بالملف تقول إن «نقصاً في التنسيق أدى إلى ما أدى إليه»، خصوصاً أن «نائب رئيس مجلس النواب الياس بو صعب لم يتواصل مع مسؤولين سوريين لتحديد موعد»، وأن «يوم الأربعاء حدّده الجانب اللبناني بشكل منفرد، وليسَ استناداً إلى الاتصال الذي أجراه الرئيس ميشال عون بالرئيس السوري بشار الأسد الذي كانَ عاماً ولم يتطرق إلى التفاصيل اللوجستية». الخلفيات «الحقيقية» التي تقاطعت حولها مصادر سورية وأخرى لبنانية قريبة من دمشق تؤكد التالي: أولاً، لم يكُن هناك اتفاق على موعد أو على اجتماعات، حتى أن الوفد اللبناني (يضمّ نائب رئيس مجلس النواب الياس بو صعب ووزيرَي الخارجية عبدالله بوحبيب والأشغال علي حمية والمدير العام للأمن العام اللواء عباس إبراهيم) لم يكن لديه أجندة أو جدول أعمال، بل كان ينتظر تحديد المواعيد بدقة، وليس صحيحاً أنه جرى تحديد يوم الأربعاء، فهذا الموعد كشف عنه الجانب اللبناني من دون اتفاق مسبق مع الجانب السوري وهو أمر غير مفهوم. إذ من المفترض أن يطلب لبنان الموعد وأن تقوم سورية بتحديد التاريخ. ثانياً، أن «الاتصال الذي جرى بين عون والأسد كان إيجابياً لكن الاتفاق على استكمال البحث كانَ عاماً». ثالثاً، استغربت دمشق كيف أن القرار بالحوار معها لم تتم مشاركته مع بقية المسؤولين، خصوصاً رئيس مجلس النواب نبيه بري ورئيس الحكومة نجيب ميقاتي، ويأخذ المسؤولون السوريون على ميقاتي أنه لم يحرك ساكناً تجاه أي تواصل مع سوريا، علماً أن مصادر مطلعة لمحت إلى أنه كانَ مرتاحاً لتأجيل الموعد.
إلى ذلك، كشفت المصادر أن السوريين سبق أن أبلغوا لبنان أن الأعمال جارية من الجانب السوري وأن العقود مع الشركات الروسية قائمة وأن البحث لا يُمكن أن يتم على طريقة «الإحراج». فضلاً عن أن دمشق تتطلع إلى موقف لبناني مختلف حيال العلاقات الرسمية الملتبسة مع سوريا حيث لا تزال الحكومات اللبنانية تقوم بخطوات لإرضاء الغرب وتستمر بمقاطعة سوريا وتختصر العلاقات بالتنسيق الأمني غير المعلن وبالعلاقات العامة، حتى أن لبنان يهمل تسمية سفير جديد في دمشق بينما تعد سوريا لإرسال ديبلوماسي سوري مخضرم إلى بيروت مقابل إشاعات عن أن لبنان يتحضر لاختيار ديبلوماسي من الفئة الثالثة!
تجاهل الدور الروسي في التنقيب والاستخراج استمرار لسياسة لبنانية معادية لموسكو
وبينما يستهدف الحوار معالجة إشكالية التداخل بين البلوك رقم 1 من الجانب السوري (مقابل ساحل محافظة طرطوس) مع البلوكين اللبنانيين 1 و2 على مساحة بحرية تمتد ما بين 750 و1000 كيلومتر مربع، يجب أن يؤخذ في الاعتبار أن دمشق وقّعت في آذار 2011 عقداً مع شركة «كابيتال» الروسية للتنقيب عن النفط والغاز وإنتاجهما في البلوك رقم (1)، لذلك على لبنان أن يدرك أن التفاوض على الحدود، وكذلك على الحقول والأشغال يجب أن يتم بمشاركة الجانب الروسي الذي يوفر الحماية لكل الأعمال في تلك المنطقة.
Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered on Saturday a speech commemorating the memory of Sayyed Mohammad Ali Al-Amin.
As he praised the noble traits of the late cleric, Sayyed Nasrallah recalled that “The true history of our countries and nations is known through our clerics.”
His Eminence further urged collective efforts to preserve our history as “Much of what has been written is an imagined and assumed history.”
“His Eminence lived the incidents including the establishment of the usurping entity, the displacement of Palestinian people, the 1967 war and the successive ‘Israeli’ aggressions on Lebanon, the latest of which was the 206 aggression,” Sayyed Nasrallah stated.
On the same level, the Resistance Leader called for preserving the blessing of the Resistance. “We must not be affected with the voices that don’t suggest any other alternative,” he added, noting that “The current sense of security and dignity in the south was a victory created in Lebanon and by its people.
Denouncing the fact that “There are no values, ethics or international law in this world, which is governed by the law of the jungle,” His Eminence reminded that “The calmness the people enjoy today, especially the southerners, has been made in Lebanon at the hands of the men of Resistance; this Resistance has presented tangible victories and achievements.”
Moving to the Palestinian front, Sayyed Nasrallah viewed that “The Palestinians have no choice other than resistance as they have turned desperate from negotiations while the Resistance in the West Bank, Gaza, and all regions is rising.”
On the maritime demarcation negotiations with “Israel”, he considered that the written proposal that was presented to the Lebanese presidencies forms a “a very important step.”
“Following months of political, field, and media resistance, today the Lebanese heads of state received the written proposal on the issue of the maritime border demarcation,” His Eminence clarified, pointing out that “The importance of what happened today is that there is a written text and not just mere words.”
Moreover, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that “We’ll be facing a decisive week on the level of the maritime border demarcation between Lebanon and the occupied Palestine as the Lebanese authorities prepare their response to an offer that could “open up wide horizons for the Lebanese people.”
“We can extract our resources when we benefit from our strength and unity. We hope that things finally turn good in favor of Lebanon and all the Lebanese people; which in case achieved will open wide horizons to the people of Lebanon. When we stand together and use our available elements of strength we can reach good results,” he added.
He further mentioned that if a deal was reached, it wouldn’t be a result of the US and “Israeli” “generosity” but rather the result of “Lebanon’s strength”.
Regarding the internal Lebanese front, Hezbollah Secretary General viewed that “Holding the session to vote on electing a President of the Republic was an important issue and the turnout confirms what we have been saying that no political alliance in Lebanon possesses the majority.”
“Thursday’s parliamentary session stressed that those who want to elect a president for Lebanon must shun the approach of confrontation and the presidents and candidates of confrontation,” he elaborated.
In parallel, Sayyed Nasrallah wondered “How would a country be run by a president who wants to challenge a major part of the Lebanese people given the deep crisis in the country and the global developments?”
He, thus, urged the political forces to “consult among each other and activate their contacts in the coming period in order to reach a choice the enjoys a majority in parliament.”
“We are short on time regarding the formation of the Lebanese government,” The resistance Leader warned, adding that “The illegal emigration on the boats of death is almost a crime, and we call on serious and judicial investigation on this level.”
On another level, Sayyed Nasrallah cautioned that “The state of ‘Daesh’ [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist ‘ISIS’ group] has collapsed, but ‘Daesh’ as a scheme, organization, and tool still exist.”
“The extent of the US breach of Daesh is huge and a big part of this organization has been transferred to Afghanistan where we are witnessing what is taking place there,” he elaborated.
Moving to the Iranian scene, Sayyed Nasrallah stated that “The United States exploits any incident in Iran in order to provoke the nation against the Islamic establishment, the latest of which is the protests that have broken out following Ms. Amini’s tragic death.”
He also lamented the fact that “The world was moved because an Iranian lady who died in unclear circumstances but turned a blind eye to 50 martyrs in Afghanistan.”
“US-backed vandals took advantage of the unclear circumstances surrounding her death to challenge the Islamic Republic after their so-called campaign of maximum pressure dismally failed,” he said, recalling that “‘Daesh’ was made by the US, and the US intelligence apparatuses are still protecting, facilitating its funding, and transferring more members to it.”
His Eminence went on to warn that “The aim behind imposing sanctions on Iran is to incite the people against the Islamic regime, as it is in Lebanon to incite the people against the Resistance.”
According to Sayyed Nasrallah, “The US’ cruel sanctions against Iranians were meant to pit the people against the Islamic state. The successive US administrations have realized that Iran is a strong, dignified and capable country; and that explains why it doesn’t dare to wage a war on the country and restores to agitating internal disputes.”
“Iran enjoys great capabilities, so the US uses all tools to incite provocations against the Islamic Republic. Western and Gulf media outlets are working to incite the Iranian people against the Islamic state, he said, noting that “The US administrations have established troll armies across social media platforms to undermine Iran, but all to no avail.”
“The global media viewed those who took to the streets in the recent events as the Iranian people, but when millions took to the streets in support of the Islamic regime they turned silent, he stressed.
However, His Eminence assured that “All the schemes are unable to harm the Islamic Republic of Iran because of the nation’s readiness to make sacrifices. It is enough for those fools to watch the Iranian people’s commemorations of the different occasions, and the historic funeral of martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani to see the will of the Iranian people. The blessed Islamic Republic of Iran is stronger and braver than ever. The Islamic Republic, with its Leader and people, could not be defeated
“Iran does not have any colonial intentions in the Middle East region. The Islamic Republic cannot be defeated, and holding bitter enmity towards it will cause huge losses for the entire Muslim world,” Sayyed Nasrallah added.
He also criticized some Iraqi groups for forgetting about the tremendous and heroic sacrifices made by General Qassem Soleimani: “How would the Iraqis befriend Saudi Arabia that sent 5000 suicide bombers to their country? How would the Iraqis forget Iran’s support with arms and money to defend Iraq against ‘Daesh’? Hadn’t been for Iran after the ‘Camp David Agreement’, where would Palestine and al-Quds have been? And where would have Lebanon and ‘Israel’ been?”
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فاوض لبنان الرسمي أكثر من 12 عاماً على الحدّ البحري الاقتصادي مع العدو، اتّسمت المقاربة الإسرائيلية خلالها بالتناقض واتّباع الخيارات المفعّلة لمواجهة حزب الله، وبمحاولة فرض الإرادة على لبنان وتحصيل ما أمكن منه، سياسياً واقتصادياً وأمنياً.
كانت إسرائيل معنية بالتوصل إلى تسوية، لكن بشروطها وخدمة لأهدافها. لكن ميزان القوى في لبنان، وموقف الرئيسين ميشال عون ونبيه بري، منعاها من تحصيل المكاسب التي أرادتها عبر التسوية البحرية. فكان القرار الأميركي – الإسرائيلي: لا استخراج غاز في لبنان قبل الخضوع للشروط الإسرائيلية – الأميركية. إلا أن هذه الشروط فاضت عن حدّها، وباتت جزءاً لا يتجزأ من المقاربة العدائية للبنان وفي خدمة المعركة الكبرى التي تقودها واشنطن وحليفتها لإخضاعه عبر استغلال الأزمة الاقتصادية وتسعيرها، من أجل التوصل إلى اتفاق، ومن ثم رفع الفيتو عن استخراج الغاز، مقابل سلّة فوائد لإسرائيل وأميركا، من بينها إمكان تقييد حزب الله ودوره الحمائي، والتطلع إلى «نزع» سلاحه. في المقابلة التي أجرتها قناة «الحرة»، منتصف حزيران الماضي، مع «الوسيط» الأميركي عاموس هوكشتين، كان لسان حال الأخير يقول: ارضوا بما يعطى لكم، وكفى عناداً. لا يوجد حق وحقوق، ليس لديكم شيء، وأي اتفاق أفضل لكم من لا شيء. انتظرت تل أبيب وواشنطن الخضوع اللبناني تحت وطأة الأزمة الاقتصادية التي كانت تتفاقم يوماً بعد يوم، ومعها تفاقم الضغط على اللبنانيين. وكما هو معلوم، الضغط المدروس والحكيم والهادف لا يطلق على عنانه، وإذا زاد عن حدّه المعقول، فسيستسهل من يتعرّض للضغط أي خيار مهما كانت نتائجه، في محاولة لإزالة الضغط. وهو ما حصل فعلاً: إن كان الموت جوعاً أمراً محتوماً، فليكن الموت عبر الحرب، إذ في الخيار الثاني احتمال أن يعقب الحرب أو ربما يسبقها خروج من الجوع ومن الموت نفسه. على خلفية هذا الواقع، جاءت تهديدات الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصر الله لتقلب التموضعات رأساً على عقب: لا استخراج للغاز من حقل «كاريش» ما لم يتمكن لبنان من استخراج غازه. المعادلة واضحة. وأُتبعت لاحقاً بجرعات تأكيد للجدية، عبر المسيّرات وغيرها من العمليات، التي أعلن عنها أو لم يعلن. لم يكن في إمكان إسرائيل أن تهضم التهديدات، وخصوصاً أنها عبّرت عن قرار اتخذ بالمبادرة، ولو أدى إلى حرب. مع التقدير المسبق لدى تل أبيب بأن أي مواجهة، على خلفية المنشآت الغازية وبنيتها التحتية وصولا إلى استهدافها هي نفسها، هو واقع لا يمكن للدولة العبرية أن تتعايش معه، وستكون تبعاته السلبية عالية المستوى، مهما كانت التبعات على الطرف المقابل. ورغم الإرباك وتجاذب المواقف المجبولة صمتاً وصراخاً، وطلب التهدئة مع إطلاق التهديدات، والتشديد على ضرورة الحل التسووي في سياق التهديد العسكري، كانت المحصّلة على الشكل الآتي: أولاً، إعطاء لبنان كل المنطقة الاقتصادية المتنازع عليها وفقاً للخط 23 الذي فاوض عليه العدو ما يزيد على 12 عاماً. ثانياً، إعطاء لبنان حقل قانا كاملاً مهما توغّل حدّه الجنوبي ضمن المياه الاقتصادية لفلسطين المحتلة. ثالثاً، تمكين شركات التنقيب من العمل في الحقول اللبنانية بعد رفع الفيتو الأميركي عنها. والى حين الاتفاق والتوقيع عليه، فهم وإدراك ضمنيان لدى الأطراف الثلاثة، لبنان وإسرائيل والولايات المتحدة، بأن المبادرة الميدانية وإمكانات التصعيد والمواجهة مرتبطة باستخراج الغاز من كاريش. تداعيات الخضوع الإسرائيلي متداخلة ومتشعبة وهو ما تعمل حكومة العدو حالياً على الحؤول دونه. إذ إن دفع إسرائيل للتنازل والتراجع، تحت تهديد حزب الله، يعني أن إسرائيل تخشى المواجهة مع الحزب وأن ردعه لها أكثر بكثير مما كان ظاهراً. وبالتالي، فإن الخشية لدى العدو في أن يكون حزب الله، لاحقاً، أكثر ثقة وإقداماً ومبادرة في كل ما يتعلق بالرد على الاعتداءات، وأن تقوده الثقة الى المبادرة الميدانية الابتدائية. ومن شأن خضوع إسرائيل أن ينهي أو يحدّ من استراتيجية الضغط الأميركية بحصار لبنان ومفاقمة أزماته. إلا أن أهم التداعيات هو إدراك إسرائيل، وكذلك حزب الله، أن الوافد الجديد على المعادلة الردعية بين الجانبين، وهو المنشآت الغازية وبنيتها التحتية، من شأنه إبعاد تل أبيب أكثر مما هي عليه الآن، عدائياً عن الساحة اللبنانية، في موازاة رفع مستوى الردع لدى حزب الله. وهذا «السلاح» (المنشآت) يوازي في كثير من أوجهه فاعلية وتأثير السلاح النوعي الدقيق.
إذا ما تلمّست تل أبيب تراجعاً في إرادة استخدام السلاح فستتراجع من الغد عن خضوعها البحري – الغازي
وإلى حين الإعلان عن الاتفاق وفقاً لما تبلور إلى الآن، يسعى العدو إلى محاربة شكل الاتفاق وصورته فيه، عبر منع ما أمكن عن الوعي الجمعي لدى جمهور الطرفين: إسرائيل لن تتراجع على خلفية تهديدات نصر الله، وهي أرادت فقط مساعدة اللبنانيين للخروج من أزمتهم عبر تنازلها (أنسنة الخضوع الإسرائيلي)؛ تأجيل استخراج الغاز من كاريش غير مرتبط بالتهديدات وهو نتيجة أعطال تقنية (يبدو أنها لا تنتهي إلا مع الاتفاق)؛ وإطلاق التهديدات وتسعير نبرتها ووتيرتها، كي تلطف من خضوعها، في سياق خدمة مصلحتها بأن لا يقدم حزب الله على جرعات تذكيرية خلال عملية التفاوض. وهي مقاربة لا تلغي أهمية إدراك حزب الله موقع المنشآت الغازية الإسرائيلية في معادلة الصراع مع الدولة العبرية. قد يُظنّ نتيجة هذه المقاربة أن الحل، وفقاً للإرادة اللبنانية، بات قريباً. الظن، هنا، لا يخلو من وجه صحة، بل هو الأقرب على خلفية أرجح التقديرات، لكن ما قد يعترض هذه النتيجة أنها مرتبطة دائماً بوجود السبب الذي دفع إسرائيل إلى الخضوع. فإن تلمّست تل أبيب تراجعاً في السبب (سلاح حزب الله) وإرادة استخدامه، ستعمد من الغد إلى التراجع عن خضوعها البحري – الغازي، قبل الاتفاق وخلاله وبعده. فالعلاقة السببية لا تنفك بين السلاح والغاز.
الاتفاق «استسلام لنصر الله» «ما يتبلور بين لبنان وإسرائيل بوساطة أميركية، هو خطأ استراتيجي كبير ستدفع إسرائيل ثمنه غالياً، وهو استسلام كامل لنصر الله». التوصيف يعود للوزير الإسرائيلي السابق، رئيس حزب الليكود العالمي، داني دانون، الذي أكد أمس أن إسرائيل ولبنان على وشك توقيع اتفاق على الحد البحري، يعدّ استسلاماً لجميع المطالب اللبنانية، ويتضمّن تمكين لبنان من حقل قانا حصراً، وقال إن «لبنان تنازل عن الخط 29 بعد تقديرات الخبراء بأن هناك حقلاً ضخماً للغاز في المنطقة المتنازع عليها، أي حقل قانا، يمتد حتى حقل كاريش»، إلى الجنوب منه. ووفقاً لدانون الذي تولّى طويلاً منصب سفير إسرائيل الدائم لدى الأمم المتحدة، فإن الاتفاق مع لبنان سيّئ لعدة أسباب: – تخلّت إسرائيل عن حقل غازي ضخم يقدّر عائده بمئات المليارات من الشواقل (3.4 للدولار الواحد)، وهو عائد مالي كبير يعطى للبنان، ومن شأنه أن يعزز حزب الله. – يشكل الاتفاق سابقة يبنى عليها في المفاوضات على الحد البحري مع الجانب القبرصي (حقل أفروديت – يشاي) وغيره من حقول الغاز التي تكتشف لاحقاً بين إسرائيل ودول أخرى في المنطقة، وربما على الحدود مع مصر. – الاتفاق يعني استسلاما كاملاً لتهديدات حزب الله الذي سيدرك أن إسرائيل ترضخ للتهديدات. من جهته، دافع رئيس شعبة الاستخبارات العسكرية في الجيش الإسرائيلي، أهارون حاليفا، عن الاتفاق البحري، عبر التأكيد على وجود مصلحة لإسرائيل بأن تكون للبنان منصة بحرية يستخرج منها الغاز، مضيفاً أنه لولا «خطف» لبنان من قبل إيران، لكان انضم إلى ركب التطبيع مع إسرائيل. وأضاف حاليفا في كلمة أمس في مؤتمر «معهد سياسات مكافحة الإرهاب» في هرتسيليا، أن لحزب الله ثلاث هويات: المدافع عن الطائفة الشيعية، ووكيل إيران، والمدافع عن لبنان الذي خطف الشعب اللبناني. وقال «إن نصرالله يحظى بتقدير كبير في إيران، وفرضية العمل لديّ ولدى الجيش الإسرائيلي أنه ليس تابعاً بل شريك في اتخاذ القرارات مع الإيرانيين»، لافتاً إلى أن هناك احتمالاً في بعض الأحداث أن ينضم حزب الله، ونصرالله على رأسه، إلى دائرة العنف الإيرانية. وإزاء التهديدات التي أطلقها نصرالله ضد منشآت الغاز في إسرائيل، قال حاليفا: «رفعنا إلى متخذي القرارات (في تل أبيب) تقديراتنا عن احتمالات التصعيد في الساحة الشمالية، وآمل في أن لا يستهين نصرالله بالرد الإسرائيلي إذا قرر التحرك. وأنا أذكر أننا أسقطنا الطائرات المسيرة التي أطلقها نصرالله باتجاه المنصة (سفينة الإنتاج في كاريش) إلا أنه لم يكن هناك أي رد فعل من حزب الله، رداً على المسيرات»، في إشارة منه إلى ما قال إنها «القوة الإسرائيلية العظيمة جداً»، في محاولة لقلب التموضعات بين فعل حزب الله الابتدائي، وانكفاء إسرائيل عن الرد.
Beirut – Harsh political and security conditions ravaged Lebanon following the outbreak of the civil war and its aftermath.
Years later, matters worsened with the “Israeli” invasion of the capital Beirut in 1982.
This was a bitter reality. There was a complete absence of the state and poverty deepened in the historically forgotten Lebanese areas, especially in the Beqaa, the south, and the north. As the resistance movement emerged to face the “Israeli” enemy, it was necessary to unite the mighty and unwavering efforts to help our dear people and meet their needs, as well as reduce the dangers resulting from occupation and war.
This paved the way for the integration of jihad and construction, giving rise to the Jihad Al-Bina Development Association.
The birth of Jihad Al-Bina
Jihad al-Bina is a resistance development organization that was officially established in 1988. Its goal is to help alleviate the consequences of the Lebanese civil war and resist the “Israeli” occupation by supporting people and construction.
In an interview with al-Ahed News, Jihad al-Bina General Director Eng. Muhammad Al-Khansa tells us about the institution and its abilities.
“The early days of the institution go back to the late 1980s. They appeared clearly and practically after the horrific explosion and massacre in Bir al-Abed on March 8, 1985 in an area in the southern suburbs. It claimed the lives of more than eighty martyrs, including men, women, children, and fetuses. So, many engineers, as well as interested and experienced people combined their efforts to heal the wounds and embrace people morally and materially so they can overcome the devastation and destruction left by the massacre. They set up reconstruction workshops and provided aid to those affected and the needy.”
Jihad al-Bina keeps up with development projects and the progress
According to al-Khansa, the official establishment of the association in 1988 was followed by “the concept of work while functional and voluntary work within the institution developed. The institution began keeping pace with people’s daily and living needs.”
“The aid was increased to include other projects, most notably: securing electricity in some remote places and water by digging wells, extracting water from them, and delivering it by extending pipelines to people’s homes and shops. Among those projects was the Al-Abbas Project for drinking water, which is still ongoing today. Jihad al-Bina also worked to remove garbage from the southern suburbs of Beirut in the absence of state services and interest in many cities, villages, and towns.”
Within the framework of the Jihad al-Bina’s focus on the development of its projects, a delegation visited the Islamic Republic of Iran. It was inspired by the experience of Imam Khomeini in Iran and was briefed on many development plans and projects. It applied the experience in Lebanon and commenced with plans and projects that were suitable for the country and its people.
Al-Khansa recalls that “work was at its peak along the border areas at the time of the ‘Israeli’ occupation of the villages and towns of the south, when the enemy was bombing public facilities, homes, and roads and practicing its hostile and brutal acts. Work was continuing despite all the dangers and threats.”
Its services program was accompanied by many sacrifices while the Association carried out its developmental duty towards its people in the homeland, especially during the occupation era and along the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine. Many of those working with Jihad al-Bina were martyred as a result of the “Israeli” attacks. Others were wounded by mines and cluster bombs left behind by the “Israelis”.
Al-Khansa stresses that nothing deterred Jihad al-Bina from continuing its work; the blood of its martyrs was a motivation for strength, determination, and the will to face challenges and move forward in keeping pace with the needs of the villages and their people. The focus at that stage was on building houses and restoring those damaged as a result of the repeated “Israeli” shelling on Lebanon and the border areas.
Between 1988 and 1997, Jihad al-Bina restored 1,500 housing units damaged by the Zionist attacks, in addition to building and rehabilitating 42 schools.
Between 1999 and 2000, 57 vocational training courses and 142 agricultural extension courses were conducted, in addition to the establishment of the Farmer Relief Project: the distribution of cows and Varroa strips for bee disease to 3,763 parties.
Pivotal junctions in the work of Jihad al-Bina
Al-Khansa remembers pivotal junctions in Lebanon, in which Jihad al-Bina played a major role:
– The first is the Seven-Day War, which “Israel” dubbed Operation Accountability in July 1993. “Israel” relied mainly on its air force to dismember the Lebanese areas, so it separated the south from the capital Beirut and the Bekaa region from the west and north through a dense belt of fire.
– The second juncture, according to Al-Khansa, is the April 1996 aggression. It was a quick and barbaric military attack on Lebanon that lasted for sixteen days, in which hundreds of civilian were killed and wounded.
– As for the historical juncture, which was engraved in the memory of the homeland in Al-Khansa’s opinion, came on May 25, 2000, the Resistance and Liberation Day. It was the day the “Israeli” army was defeated and withdrew from most of the Lebanese territories it had been occupying since 1978.
Al-Khansa adds that after the liberation and the return of citizens to their villages, Jihad al-Bina’s work to meet people’s needs continued. Its interests and efforts expanded from restoration to the agricultural sector through land reclamation and encouraging people to invest, plant, and sell the surplus of its crop, especially in the south and the Bekaa, where there are vast areas and fertile lands that are suitable for agriculture and investment.
The July War: Massive missions and a pivotal juncture in the association’s history
Al-Khansa said the pivotal and most important juncture was the July 2006 war on Lebanon or what was known as the Second Lebanon War, when “Israeli” barbarism became more intense and exacerbated destruction and devastation. It did not spare people or stones. The human and material losses were extensive. People were martyred and displaced. Those who were displaced left behind memories only to return after the war and find them in ashes.
Indeed, the Jihad al-Bina organization has proven that it is responsible. It surprised the enemy and friends alike with the tremendous efforts it made to rebuild and provide shelter for those displaced returning to their destroyed homes. As part of its project to provide shelter, it provided them with rent and furniture allowances until the rubble removal operations were completed.
The reconstruction carried out by the association covered all the villages and cities that were destroyed. It built the destroyed houses and restored damaged ones, making them even lovelier than they were before the destruction.
July 2006 war:
1- Inspection: 1386 buildings
2- Structural restoration: 150 buildings
3- Demolition after inspection: 83 buildings
4- Partial demolition: 15 buildings
5- Demolished buildings: 195 buildings
6- Restoration of common sections: 943 buildings
Jihad al-Bina agricultur and industry (2020 – 2021)
To complement its development projects and in support of the agricultural sector, the association established several centers to serve as starting points for agricultural development. These centers are:
1- Martyr Sayyed Abbas Al-Moussawi Center for Agricultural Development and Extension in Duris – Baalbek (destroyed in the 2006 war)
2- Imam Al-Jawad Center for Agricultural Development and Extension in Hermel
3- Abi Dhar Al-Ghafari Center for Agricultural Development and Extension in Dardaghiya – Tyre
4- Al-Firdous Center for Agricultural Development and Extension in Al-Firdous in Nabatiyeh
These centers were able to keep pace with farmers’ activities, meet their needs, encourage them to grow, and market their agricultural products in various areas, including online. They conducted a number of agricultural projects and fairs, including nearly 76 fairs, where 2478 people benefited. Some of these fairs are:
1 – Hakoura Project (rehabilitation for home farming):
– Distribution of 75,000 boxes of summer seeds
– Beneficiaries: 26720
– Cultivated area: 120000 acres
– Combined courses: 200 courses / Number of beneficiaries: 15238
– Electronic counseling courses: Number of beneficiaries: 268322
2- Ghallal Project:
– Distribution of 80 tons of wheat seed
– The cultivated area is 5350 acres
3- Afforestation project:
– Distribution of 150,000 implants to benefit 4,000 parties
– Distribution of 1000000 seedlings to benefit 1233 parties
4- Livestock vaccination project:
– Immunization of 2038,157 head of livestock to benefit 10,696 parties
5- Livestock Credit Project:
– 560 head of cattle annually
– A number of areas benefited from it, especially in the north and Akkar.
6- Electronic agricultural extension seminars: number of beneficiaries 6260
7- Agricultural Extension Project [electronic]: Number of beneficiaries: 142924
8- Providing agricultural supplies: Number of beneficiaries: 87825
9- Environmental guidance and awareness: Number of beneficiaries: 113,878
10- Field and veterinary tours: 54989, number of beneficiaries: 57705
Agricultural extension projects or animal and plant production are still in constant development, as Jihad al-Bina worked to conduct a census of more than 10170 farmers so far. In a new step, the association is seeking to market products online.
Accelerated vocational and handicraft training project
As part of its rehabilitation program, Al-Khansa points out that the Jihad Al-Bina Association also seeks to establish craft workshops and training courses in its main or subsidiary centers in villages and towns or through mobile centers in the areas. Their aim is to shape the individual and help him acquire a new craft or profession that will be a source for a decent paycheck, especially in light of the current situation.
Between 2020-2021, 4211 professional and craft courses and workshops were held. 102031 trainees benefited from them. A census for more than 3500 professionals and craftsmen has been conducted so far.
The association also paid attention to the cooperative sector, as it worked on establishing, rehabilitating, and assisting more than 400 diverse cooperatives in various Lebanese areas.
Among the fairs that Jihad Al-Bina carried out to encourage craftsmen and producers was the Ardi Exhibition. Ardi supports small producers and craftsmen to market their products. It was last held in the southern suburbs of Beirut in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic. About 3496 people participated in the exhibition.
In addition, there are mobile markets in the south, the Bekaa, and other areas: about 39 markets, benefiting 1613 people.
Ongoing achievements & the door for volunteering is open to all
Al-Khansa commends the efforts of the administrative staff and “the whole family” in the Jihad Al-Bina Association. He praises the efforts of volunteers who join the association from various specializations and categories based on the sectors and files that the association is working on. He stresses that Jihad al-Bina’s doors are open to all, thanks to God and “hand in hand and with the charitable people, we will continue our work and carry on.”
Al Mayadeen refutes the claims of David Schenker that the network misreported his remarks on Lebanon, most notably the US’ role in exacerbating the country’s economic crisis.
Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker
Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker spoke, on May 12, on the occasion of launching the latest book by Hanin Ghaddar, Friedmann Fellow in the Washington Institute’s Program on Arab Politics, who focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant. Robert Satloff, a researcher at The Washington Institute, moderated the seminar.
The former US Assistant Secretary made serious statements, ahead of Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, about the US role played in the country by the administration of former US President Donald Trump in order to accelerate the country’s financial collapse, as well as the administration’s exploitation of the “October 17” movement to distort Hezbollah’s image and weaken it along with its allies.
Al Mayadeen had earlier published a news report about the symposium, but Schenker had reservations about the mechanism of its coverage through other media outlets, accusing the network of misrepresenting his own words. Following are video-supported excerpts from what he said during the meeting, which refutes his claims against Al Mayadeen.
Commenting on the US’ role in supporting the so-called March 14 alliance coalition, Schenker detailed how the US orchestrated a maximum pressure campaign against Hezbollah to target its revenues saying, “So, we [the US] had a sort of multi-faceted strategy – I don’t know if we spelled it out as such – but we undertook a number of activities. So first and foremost, is to deny the organization revenues: We had the maximum pressure campaign which limited funding from Tehran to the organization cutting back, you know, 800-700 million dollars a year provided directly from Iran…”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Schenker boldly stated, “We also sanctioned Hezbollah financial institutions, like the Jammal Trust Bank, we are careful to do so, as we were waiting for Moody’s [Analytics] to come out with their credit ratings first that downgraded Lebanon, and the day after, we piled on and did Jamal Trust but we weren’t responsible for the downgrade, so we raised the cost as well for Hezbollah’s allies. We designated some of Hezbollah’s most corrupt allies including, as pointed out earlier, Gibran Bassil – the president’s son-in-law. The message, I think, in this regard, is clear.”
Video documenting David Schenker’s statements on Lebanon
On the course the US followed to undermine Hezbollah’s very presence, Schenker said, “We [the US] looked for political opportunities: We saw an opportunity to deal Hezbollah a symbolic defeat in the municipal elections. We know about what happened in 2016 with Beirut Madinati in municipal elections, and we wanted to build on this, understanding primarily that it’ll be symbolic. But, nonetheless, you know, affirming that this organization is not 10 feet tall.”
On the US’ attempt to infiltrate Hezbollah’s arena of popular support, he said, “We cultivated Shiite businessmen. So during my tenure as Assistant Secretary of NEA [Near East Affairs], I traveled to Lebanon twice or three times. On all occasions, I had public dinners with Shiite businessmen opposed to Hezbollah that were organized by my dear friend, Lokman Slim.”
He has also affirmed that “the idea was to promote economic opportunities in Shiite areas to help wean the community from its dependence on Hezbollah, and we worked hard at that and I think we made some initial progress, that for a number of reasons, including the port blast, could not be sustained.”
“We supported civil society – Shiite civil society – so I met with creative members of the Shiite civil society opposed to Hezbollah’s’ authoritarianism. I met with Shiite journalists, people who wrote for Janoubia, a great online site in the south that reports on Hezbollah’s corruption and repression,” Schenker claimed.
Fact-checked: Video documenting David Schenker’s statements on Lebanon
The US diplomat admitted that the US funded the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) by saying, “Now, the alternative to that is the default US policy of basically funding the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), underwriting the military in the hope that somehow this will mitigate towards stability in Lebanon. Now, while there’s some merit in funding the institution, it’s not a panacea and won’t be an agent of change in Lebanon.”
Projecting on one of the speaker’s ideas regarding Hezbollah’s status, Schenker said, “So the phenomenon that Hanin describes so well, I think, is an opportunity for, regardless of whether it’s Republicans or Democrats in Washington that the administration should look to exploit.”
“The LAF won’t prevent state collapse or another Hezbollah war with “Israel”. The focus of the LAF absent the approach to Hezbollah is a recipe for continuation of the status quo, or more likely a further deterioration and ultimately the destabilization of Lebanon,” he claimed.
Fact-checked: Video documenting David Schenker’s statements on Lebanon
Regarding the 2022 parliamentary elections in Lebanon, he said, “But, what I do know, is that the opposition is incredibly divided, brimming with narcissistic or individualistic leaders who are more interested in being the head of their individual parties than getting together and overthrowing a corrupt elite. And so they have something like 100 parties running – the normal parties and then all these other smaller parties. And my guess is they’re going to eat their own and we’re not going to see them gain a great deal of seats to shift the balance”.
He concluded by commenting on the US multifront war to shrink Hezbollah’s authority by saying, “That’s exactly my point, which is you have to work to push back on this group [Hezollah] on all fronts. And that part of that is going after them in Lebanon, supporting people who are willing to stand up to them, and then going after Iran economically or in other ways, putting pressure on them. They don’t get a free pass from creating all these militias, planting them that are destabilizing or destroying their countries.”
Several Lebanese parties have long warned against the role the US is playing in the Lebanese arena of politics and the fact that the said county is making every effort to incite strife and favor a party over another based on its whims and own narrow interests. Schenker’s words expose the US interference in Lebanese politics, not to mention the substantial role it played in exacerbating the economic crisis the Lebanese have been under since 2019.
مساعد وزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى السابق، ديفيد شينكر، يتحدّث عن الدور الأميركي في لبنان، وعن مشروع الاستثمار الأميركي في قوى “المجتمع المدني”.
المساعد السابق لوزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى ديفيد شينكر
استضاف معهد واشنطن ندوة عبر تطبيق “زووم”، بتاريخ الـ12 من أيار/مايو الجاري، شاركت فيها حنين غدار، الباحثة اللبنانية في معهد واشنطن، وديفيد شينكر، المساعد السابق لوزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى، وبشار حيدر، الأستاذ الجامعي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت. وأدار الندوة الباحث في معهد واشنطن روبرت ساتلوف، قائلاً إنّها تأتي قبل أيام من الانتخابات النيابية في لبنان، لكنها ستركز على قضية حزب الله داخل المجتمع الشيعي، بمناسبة إطلاق معهد واشنطن كتاباً جديداً لحنين غدار، بعنوان “أرض حزب الله: تشريح الضاحية والمجتمع الشيعي في لبنان”.ميناء
وصرّح شينكر بأنّ إدارة الرئيس باراك أوباما “اهتمت بدرجة أقل بلبنان”، على عكس إدارة الرئيس الأميركي السابق دونالد ترامب، التي أولت قدراً كبيراً من الاهتمام بالشأن اللبناني، بحيث “كان الانهيار المالي يترسّخ، وحدث انفجار ميناء بيروت، وكان برنامج لبنان للذخائر الموجَّهة بدقة (مع الجيش اللبناني) يحقق تقدماً كبيراً”.
شنكر: قمنا بتصنيف بعض حلفاء حزب الله بالأكثر فساداً
وفيما يخص العقوبات التي فرضتها الإدارة الأميركية على حزب الله، لفت شينكر إلى أنّ واشنطن “فرضت عقوبات على المؤسسات المالية التابعة لحزب الله، مثل جمال تراست بنك، فكنّا حريصين على القيام بذلك، بحيث كنا ننتظر إصدار مؤسسة موديز تصنيفاتها الائتمانية التي خفّضت تصنيف لبنان. وفي اليوم التالي، جمعنا الوثائق، وقمنا بوصم جمال بنك”. وقال ضاحكاً: “لكننا لم نكن مسؤولين عن خفض تصنيف لبنان”.
وتابع أنّ بلاده “رفعت التكلفة على حلفاء حزب الله”، قائلاً: “قمنا بتصنيف بعض حلفاء حزب الله الأكثر فساداً، بمن في ذلك صهر الرئيس اللبناني جبران باسيل. والرسالة في هذا الصدد واضحة. فالولايات المتحدة لا تقف فقط ضد الفساد الذي يتورط فيه حزب الله على نحو قريب، والذي يؤدي إلى تدمير الاقتصاد اللبناني، لكن هؤلاء الناس سيدفعون الثمن. لن يربحوا من هذا من دون الإضرار بسمعتهم، أو تلقيهم ضرراً مالياً”.
شنكر: حزب الله يؤمن بالرصاص وصناديق الاقتراع
وبشأن استغلال الفرص السياسية من أجل التصويب على حزب الله، قال ديفيد شينكر: “بحثنا عن الفرص السياسية. رأينا فرصة في توجيه هزيمة رمزية لحزب الله في الانتخابات البلدية. نحن نعلم بما حدث في عام 2016، مع حملة “بيروت مدينتي” في الانتخابات البلدية، وأردنا البناء على ذلك، مع معرفتنا المسبّقة بأنها ستكون هزيمة رمزية”.
وأكد أن الإدراة الأميركية قامت بـ”زرع رجال أعمال شيعة”، مشيراً إلى أنّه سافر إلى لبنان مرتين، أو ثلاث مرات، خلال فترة عمله مساعداً لوزير الخارجية لشؤون الشرق الأدنى.
وقال مساعد وزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى السابق إنّه كان له عشاء عام مع رجال الأعمال الشيعة المعارضين لحزب الله، نظّمه لقمان سليم، الذي وصفه بـ”صديقه العزيز”، موضحاً: “كانت الفكرة هي تعزيز الفرص الاقتصادية في المناطق الشيعية للمساعدة على وقف اعتماد هذا المجتمع على حزب الله، وعملنا بجد على ذلك. وأعتقد أننا أحرزنا بعض التقدم الأولي. لكن، نتيجة عدد من الأسباب، بما في ذلك انفجار الميناء، لم نتمكن من جعل هذا التقدم مستداماً”.
وأضاف ديفيد شينكر: “لقد دعمنا المجتمع المدني الشيعي. لذلك التقيت أعضاء مبدعين من المجتمع المدني الشيعي المعارضين لاستبداد حزب الله. التقيت صحافيين شيعة، ممن يكتبون لموقع “جنوبية”، وهو موقع إلكتروني رائع في الجنوب، يقدّم تقارير بشأن فساد حزب الله وقمعه. بإيجاز، أعتقد أننا اتخذنا مقاربة رفضت النظر إلى الطائفة الشيعية اللبنانية على أنها كتلة واحدة، وحاولنا إيجاد فرص من أجل الاستفادة من السخط الشيعي”.
شنكر: من المهم أن ننظر إلى ما يحدث في لبنان
وبحسب المساعد السابق لوزير الخارجية الأميركي لشؤون الشرق الأدنى، فإنّه لا يعتقد أنّ الانتخابات ستغيّر الوضع بصورة كبيرة، “على الرغم من كل الاحتجاجات في عام 2019، والاستياء السائد في لبنان”، مضيفاً: “أولاً وقبل كل شيء، وكما نعلم جيداً مما حدث بعد انتخابات عامَي 2005 و2009، فإن حزب الله لا يحترم نتائج الانتخابات، فهو يؤمن بالرصاص وصناديق الاقتراع، على حدّ سواء”.
شنكر: المعارضة منقسمة بصورة كبيرة لا تُصدق
وأكد شينكر أنّ هناك سبباً آخر في عدم وجود أي تأثير للانتخابات، معتقداً أنّ “من المهم أنّ ننظر إلى ما يحدث في المجتمع المسيحي، كما أشار بشار حيدر، الذي قال إنّ من المهم أن ننظر إلى ما يحدث في لبنان، بسبب جبران باسيل والتيار الوطني الحر، نتيجة النظر إليهما بصفتهما فاسدَين، بالتواطؤ مع حزب الله، وهل سيعانيان (أي باسيل وتياره انتخابياً)؟ من يدري إلى أين ستذهب هذه الأصوات؟”.
شنكر: الانتخابات لا تصلح النظام المنتهك في لبنان
وأضاف أنّ “ما أعرفه هو أنّ المعارضة منقسمة بصورة كبيرة لا تُصَدَّق، فهي مليئة بالقادة النرجسيين أو الفردانيين، والذين يهتمون بأنّ يكونوا رؤساء أحزابهم الخاصة، أكثر من اهتمامهم بالتوحّد معاً وإطاحة النخبة الفاسدة. فهم لديهم نحو 100 حزب تخوض الانتخابات، بدءاً بالأحزاب العادية، ثم كل هذه الأحزاب الصغيرة الأخرى. وأعتقد أنّهم سيأكلون بعضهم البعض، ولن نراهم يكسبون حصة كبيرة في المقاعد النيابية من أجل تغيير التوازن” السياسي في البلد.
شنكر: دعمنا المجتمع المدني الشيعي في لبنان
وعبّر شينكر عن عدم تفاؤله بـ”هذه الانتخابات. لا أعتقد أنه يجب على حكومة الولايات المتحدة أن تضع كثيراً من الثِّقل أو الصدقية تجاه ما يحدث فيها. هناك نظام منتهَك في لبنان، والانتخابات، في ظل قوانين انتخابية كهذه الموجودة، لن تُصلحه، للأسف”.
شنكر: إدارة ترامب أولت اهتماماً كبيراً بالشأن اللبناني
وكانت الميادين نشرت خبراً بشأن هذه الندوة، تحفَّظ شنكر، عبر وسائل إعلام أخرى، عن آلية تغطيتها.
لو تخيّلنا مشهداً انتخابياً طبيعياً في لبنان بعد الانهيار المالي والاقتصادي وثورة 17 تشرين، لكان المنطقي أن نتوقع أن النقاش الأساسي في البلد يدور حول الخيارات والبرامج الاقتصادية والمالية والاجتماعية، نحو عقد اجتماعيّ جديد وسياسة اقتصادية ومالية جديدة، وأن نتوقع تراجع الجدل حول القضايا التي كانت تطفو على السطح وهي ليست أولويات اللبنانيين، كنقاش جنس الملائكة، فلا إلغاء الطائفية وإقرار الزواج المدني يتمان بأغلبية نيابية، ولا تقرير مستقبل سلاح المقاومة تحسمه أغلبية نيابية، وليس هناك بالأصل أغلبية لبنانية علمانية كاسحة تمنح الأمل لدعاة الدولة المدنية لينقلوا الخلاف حولها إلى مرتبة الأولوية في الاستحقاق الانتخابي. ولا لدى مناوئي سلاح المقاومة مثل هذه الأغلبية ليشجعهم الأمل بالفوز الفئوي لمشروعهم على نقل الأمر إلى صدارة الأولويات. ولا البديل الوطني المتمثل بجيش قوي قادر جاهز لتولي حماية لبنان، أو يمكن أن يجهز بفترة وجيزة في ظل الفيتو المانع لتسليح الجيش اللبناني بأسلحة نوعيّة، بحيث يصير نقل هذه العناوين الى مرتبة الأولويات الانتخابية مجرد كيد سياسي بلا طائل، أو تخديم لرغبة خارجية بتسجيل نقاط على المقاومة.
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غاب البرنامج الاقتصادي والمالي عن الأولويات، وصار سلاح المقاومة عنوان الاصطفاف الذي يقود الاستحقاق الانتخابي، والقوى التي خرجت من ساحات 17 تشرين صارت ضمن هذا الاصطفاف على جبهة المناوئين لسلاح المقاومة، وحشد السفراء أموالهم وتصريحاتهم ووسائل الإعلام التي يمولونها لجعل هذا العنوان جامعاً لتشكيلات كان يبدو مستحيلاً أن تجتمع، وأبعد الرئيس سعد الحريري عن المشهد السياسي والانتخابي لمجرد انه اقترح بدلاً من المواجهة مع سلاح المقاومة، ربط النزاع معها حوله، وهو المنطق الأقرب واقعياً لكل مناوئ للمقاومة يفكر بوضع البلد بعقل سياسي لا مخابراتي، وصار الانتخاب مجرد استفتاء يراد منه تشكيل محطة اختبارية لقياس نتائج حملة الضغوط التي تعرضت لها بيئة المقاومة، وقراءة نتائج الحصار الذي فرض عليها، لأن الخارج الذي بات هو مدير الحملة الانتخابية ضد المقاومة بوضوح يعرف ان نيل الأغلبية ضدها لا يفيده في تغيير موازين القوى الفعلية ضدها، لكنه يفيده في الإجابة عن سؤال، هل ثمة جدوى من مواصلة الضغوط والحصار؟ وهل يفعلان فعلهما في إنشاء بيئة لبنانية معادلة لها يمكن البناء عليها، وهل يمكن الرهان عليهما لتفكيك التأييد الذي تناله في بيئتها؟
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أما وقد صار الأمر كذلك، فماذا يفعل من يرغب بالتصويت لصالح التغيير في نظام فاشل سياسياً واقتصادياً ومالياً، حتى الانهيار، والمقاومة لم ولن تضع ثقلها وفائض قوتها لتلبية رغبته بإنجاز هذا التغيير بالقوة، وحجتها في ذلك الحرص على السلم الأهلي وخشيتها من الفتنة. وهو يدرك أن خياره الأول الذي كان خلال أيام الحماسة بعد 17 تشرين شبه محسوم في وجدانه، بالتصويت لقوى تغييرية، قد بدأت تشوبه الشكوك وهو يرى هذه القوى قد اصطفت تحت لواء خطاب العداء للمقاومة، وهو يعلم أن لا سبب لبنانياً لذلك، ولا مبرر وفق أولوية مواجهة قوى النظام أن تكون المقاومة العدو الأول، والمكونات التاريخية للنظام قد بدلت ثوبها وصارت قوى ثورة وتغيير. فيسقط هذا الخيار بالضربة القاضية، وهو يرى مَن يسمون أنفسهم دعاة ثورة وتغيير قد تحولوا إلى مجرد أبواق تصطف وراء مومياءات النظام القديم، وتقدم التبريرات لتبييض سياسي يشبه تبييض الأموال، في نظرية الحلف السيادي، الذي لا تشغل باله أدوار السفراء في رعاية نشاطاته وحملاته.
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هنا يتقدم الخيار الثاني الذي يتبادر لذهن هذا المؤمن بالتغيير، والذي لا يرى العداء للمقاومة مبرراً، ولا جعل البحث بسلاحها أولوية، وأغلب هؤلاء لم يروا من هذا السلاح إلا التحرير والحماية، وينتمي كثير منهم إلى بيئتها التاريخية. والخيار الثاني هو عدم المشاركة بالانتخابات. وهنا تنطرح الإشكالية، فهو يعلم أن في لبنان معادلة ونظام، معادلة حررت وحمت وتمنع الحرب الأهلية، ونظام فاسد فاشل، والمواجهة الدائرة هي حول تغيير المعادلة لجهة كسرها بحجة تغيير النظام، وهو كتغييري معني بأن يمنع سرقة هويته وتجييرها لأعداء المعادلة الذين ينتمي أغلبهم للنظام، أو الحالمين بدخول جنته باسم التغيير، وهو معني أكثر إذا لم يكن التغيير الى الأفضل ممكناً أن يمنع التغيير الى الأسوأ. وهو يعلم أن نيل خصوم المقاومة للأغلبية وتشكيلهم حكومة تملك هذه الأغلبية مشروع حرب أهلية يهدد بتخريب كل الإيجابيات والمكاسب التي تحققت ما بعد الطائف، لصالح تعزيز السلبيات التي حملتها تلك المرحلة، من التحرير الى حماية البلد بمعادلة المقاومة بوجه الأطماع الاسرائيلية إلى تحصين السلم الأهلي وفق معادلة أن من يقدر عليها لا يريدها، فلا خوف إن أرادها من لا يقدر عليها، لكن نيل الأغلبية وضم مقدرات الدولة لمن يريدها سيجعله يتوهم أنه قادر عليها.
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عند عتبة التفكير بالخيار الثالث وهو المشاركة بالانتخابات والتصويت للوائح المقاومة، تلمع فكرتان، الأولى تشجع على المشاركة والثانية تدعو للتردد والتبصر. الأول هو أنه يراقب هذا الحماس الخارجي للتصويت ضد المقاومة، والاهتمام بقراءة نتائج التصويت لمعرفة ما اذا كانت خيارات مواصلة الضغوط والحصار ذات جدوى، وهو كمواطن لبنانيّ أولاً صاحب مصلحة بوقف الضغوط والحصار وإيصال أصحابها باليأس، وهو معني أن يقول بأن المقاومة التي يعتب عليها في عناوين داخلية، سواء كان مصيباً أم مخطئاً، وسواء كانت حجتها في مخالفته صحيحة أم خطأ، هي مقاومة تحظى بكل الدعم والتأييد شعبياً في ما تمثله المعادلة، أما الثانية فهي شعوره بالإحباط تجاه مستقبل البلد، بلا كهرباء بلا ودائع بلا ليرة، فما جدوى الدخول بلعبة معلوم سلفاً أنها مجرد تفليسة ميؤوس منها؟
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هنا يستمع هذا التغييري الى آخر معادلات السيد حسن نصرالله، التي تضمنت وضع معادلة الردع في كفة ومستقبل ثروات النفط والغاز في كفة، واعتبار هذه الثروات بوليصة تأمين كافية لانتشال لبنان من قعر الانهيار ورد الاعتبار لودائع الناس وللعملة الوطنية، وإطلاق النهوض وحل مشكلات الكهرباء، فهل يصدق الوعد؟
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تجربته تقول إن السيد هو سيد الوعد الصادق، وهو الذي سبق في حملات انتخابية سابقة أن قال لا تنتخبونا طلباً للخدمات، وإن كانت همكم فنحن لن نفيدكم، فيستحيل أن يكون وراء كلامه مجرد حملة انتخابية. فغداً تنتهي الانتخابات ويبقى وعد السيد، فيقرر المشاركة والتصويت، ومن باب التحفظ يقول سأنتخب اللائحة ولكنني سأقرأ الأسماء بتمعن، وان لم أجد اسماً يقنعني فلن اضع صوتاً تفضيلياً.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stresses that the United States is covering up corruption in Lebanon while its allies cast the blame on the resistance.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (Click for the video)
The strongest message sent through the martyrdom of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is the fact that she is Christian, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Friday, in a nod to the Israeli occupation’s indiscriminate criminality that knows no bounds and is not only directed toward Muslims.
“The Israeli enemy killed Christians and Muslims, violated their sanctities, and demolished their homes […] everyone is jeopardized by the policies of the racist and inhumane Israeli occupation that will not change,” Sayyed Nasrallah said during an electoral rally in the northeastern Bekaa region of Lebanon.
He stressed that martyr Abu Akleh was a witness to Israeli criminality and the occupation’s oppression of Palestinians. “The brutal reality of the Israeli enemy has not changed throughout its massacres in Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt.”
Sayyed Nasrallah offered his condolences to the families of the Syrian soldiers who were killed at the hands of terrorist groups in the countryside of Aleppo earlier today.
Bekaa always been integral part of resistance
“The Bekaa region and its people have always been an integral part of the resistance,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed, citing the people’s support for the resistance since its establishment and their contribution to the founding of the movement. “It is [in Bekaa] that the most important confrontation took place in 1982, which halted the progression of the Israeli enemy.”
“The shelling of the region was not only in revenge for the resistance’s operations, but in compliance with an Israeli policy [Tel Aviv] closely follows to pressure people and to send a message to the people of Bekaa to expel the resistance from the region,” he added.
“They want the people of Bekaa to give up the resistance and its arms through political, financial, and media aggression,” he explained, recalling that the operations had been launched from the region as a whole and led to the martyrdom of many prominent leaders until the entire region was liberated, “and still, the [resistance did not halt its] operations on the Western Bekaa front.”
In the southern region of Bekaa, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted, “the most prominent and dearest men in Bekaa were martyred, Sayyed Abbas Al-Mousawi and [his wife] Um Yasser.” He also praised the region for its participation in resisting the Israeli occupation during the July war of 2006, mourning the martyrs lost in Baalbek and the Western and Central Bekaa.
“You are Hezbollah, and you are the resistance. It would not be right to say you are with the resistance, because, throughout the past 40 years, you did not refrain from offering your dearest people, and you chose the resistance as your ideology,” the Hezbollah chief underscored.
“There are parties conspiring against your sacrifices and your victories, and your response must be appropriate.”
According to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the people must not forget those who stood with Lebanon, i.e. Syria and Iran. “They are part of the electoral campaign today. We must also remember those who stood by Israel and offered it support while today, they advocate ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’, especially the United States and several Arab States [who are supporting the occupation] behind closed doors.”
Parties prevented Lebanese Army from battling ISIS on Syria-Lebanon borders
“If the terrorist groups succeded in Syria, they would have jeopardized Bekaa and the entirety of Lebanon […] those who supported the terrorist organizations only cared for toppling the authorities in Syria,” he explained.
Sayyed Nasrallah also revealed that there had been a political decision to prevent the Lebanese Army from combatting the terrorist groups on the borders. “If [the parties that prevented the Army from combatting terrorism] had the majority in the government, they would never dare take a decision as per which the Lebanese Army responds to any aggression.”
Resistance’s weapons never prevented reform
Commenting on the electoral campaigns in the 2022 Lebanese legislative elections, Sayyed Nasrallah said, “We heard many funny things in the slogans and speeches. We saw a remarkable campaign of hatred, and this is an indication of the moral and intellectual decadence of some figures representing themselves as leaders who want to solve crises.”
“One of them is responsible for the vanishing of $11 billion and the economic policies that led to the current crises, and he is currently saying that the path toward saving Lebanon starts with liberating the country from Hezbollah,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.
He also stressed that there are parties “taking the Lebanese people for fools by fearmongering and spreading misinformation against Hezbollah […] the resistance’s arms never prevented anyone from repairing the power grid and building dams, nor did it take the catastrophic financial policies during the past decades.”
The Hezbollah chief accused the United States and its allies of smuggling depositors’ funds abroad, calling on the parties that “made their electoral lists in the US embassy” to ask Washington to return the smuggled money. He also accused it of preventing investments in Lebanon, covering up for corruption, and working to starve the Lebanese people.
“We heard that on May 15 (the day the elections will be held in Lebanon), this finger (pointing to his index finger) will be broken… I know that this finger infuriates the United States, the terrorists, and the enemies of Lebanon,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.
“Casting your ballots on the election day is a message to those conspiring against the resistance and its arms, as well as the future of the Lebanese people,” he concluded by telling the people of Bekaa and Lebanon as a whole.
السيد نصر الله: الاقتراع يوم الأحد رسالة إلى المتآمرين على المقاومة ومستقبل لبنان
الأمين العام لحزب الله، السيد حسن نصر الله، يؤكّد، خلال المهرجان الانتخابي في البقاع، أنّه “لا بد من الدولة العادلة والقادرة، من أجل معالجة مشاكل المنطقة، في مختلف الملفات التي يواجهها الناس”.
وفي كلمةٍ له، خلال المهرجان الانتخابي في البقاع، أضاف السيد نصر الله أن “الرسالة من شهادة شيرين أبو عاقلة هي أنّ العدو الإسرائيلي قتل المسيحيين والمسلمين، واعتدى على مقدساتهم، وهدم بيوتهم”، وأنّ “الجميع في خطر من سياسات النظام الإسرائيلي العنصري واللاإنساني، والذي لن يتبدل مهما فعل المطبّعون”.
وأشار إلى أنّ “الشهيدة أبو عاقلة كانت شاهدة على جرائم العدو الإسرائيلي، وعلى مظلومية الشعب الفلسطيني”، مشدداً على أنّ “حقيقة العدو الإسرائيلي الوحشية لم تتغير، من مجازر فلسطين، إلى لبنان، إلى مصر”.
وأضاف السيد نصر الله أنّ “أول الذين يجب أن يشعروا بالخزي والعار هم المطبّعون، ودماء أبو عاقلة وصمة على وجوههم ونواصيهم وأيديهم”، آملاً أن “توقظ دماؤها الضمائر الميتة وتستنهض الخير والشرف المتبقّي في هذه الأمة”.
كذلك، عزّى السيد نصر الله عائلات قوات الدفاع الشعبي في الجيش السوري الذين استشهدوا، في وقتٍ سابقٍ اليوم، على أيدي الجماعات التكفيرية في ريف حلب.
البقاع كان دائماً جزءاً أساسياً من المـقاومة
وتوجّه السيد نصر الله إلى أهل البقاع المشاركين في المهرجان الانتخابي، قائلاً إن “البقاع وأهله كانوا دائماً جزءاً أساسياً من المـقاومة، تأسيساً وجبهةً وحضوراً في الميدان، وإسناداً ودعماً. وفي أرضه حدثت المواجهة الأهم عام 1982، والتي أوقفت تقدم العـدو الإسرائيلي”.
وأضاف أن “معركة السلطان يعقوب ومعركة المديرج أعطتا رسالة واضحة إلى الاحتلال، مفادها أنه خلال أيام قليلة بدأت عمليات المقاومة، بحيث تفاجأ باستنفار أهل البقاع. وبالفعل، فإن الاجتياج توقّف”.
وذكّر السيد نصر الله، في السياق، بالأعوام الأولى للمقاومة، منذ عام 1982، بحيث كانت العمليات تحدث في المناطق المحتلة، بينما “كان يحدث رد الفعل الإسرائيلي في البقاع”، لافتاً إلى أنّ “القصف الإسرائيلي لم يكن فقط للانتقام من عمليات المقاومة، بل كان سياسةً إسرائيليةً متَّبَعةً دائماً من أجل الضغط على الناس، وهدفه أن يقول لأهل البقاع: أَخْرِجوا المقاومة من بلداتكم”.
وأضاف: “يريدون من أهل البقاع التخلي عن المقاومة وسلاحها، عبر القصف، سياسياً ومالياً وإعلامياً”، لكنّ “العمليات انطلقت من البقاع إلى البقاع الغربي، وسقط شهداء قادة إلى أن تحرر البقاع، ومع ذلك لم تتوقف العمليات في جبهة البقاع الغربي”.
وأردف السيد نصر الله بالقول إنّ “في أرض الجنوب استُشهد من البقاع أغلى وأعز رجال البقاع، السيد عباس الموسوي والسيدة أم ياسر الموسوي. وفي حرب تموز/يوليو كنتم حاضرين في هذه الحرب، ورجالكم يشاركون في الجبهات”، لافتاً إلى أنّ”هناك لائحة طويلة من الشهداء الذين سقطوا في بعلبك الهرمل والبقاعَين الغربي والأوسط”.
وخاطب أهل البقاع قائلاً: “أنتم حزب الله وأنتم المقاومة، ولا يصح أن نقول أنتم مع المقاومة، لأنّكم خلال 40 عاماً لم تبخلوا بدمٍ ولا بعزيز ولا بشيء، وكانت المقاومة خياركم وعزمكم وبصيرتكم”، مؤكداً أنّ “هناك من يتآمر على تضحياتكم وعلى انتصاراتكم، ويجب أن يكون جوابكم في هذا المستوى أيضاً”.
وبحسب السيد نصر الله، “يجب تذكّر الذين وقفوا إلى جانب لبنان، أي سوريا وإيران”، مؤكّداً أنّهما “جزء من الحملة الانتخابية اليوم”، مضيفاً أنه “يجب أن نتذكر الذين وقفوا إلى جانب إسرائيل وساندوها، واليوم يتحدثون عن الحرية والاستقلال، وفي مقدمتهم أميركا، وبعض الدول العربية من تحت الطاولة”.
الجيش اللبناني مُنع من المواجهة في معركة الجرود
وتطرّق السيد نصر الله إلى معركة الجرود، مؤكّداً أنّه “لو قُدِّر لمشروع الجماعات الإرهابية أن ينتصر في سوريا، لشكلت هذه الجماعات خطراً على البقاع وكل لبنان”.
وذكر أنّ “الذين دعموا الجماعات الإرهابية كان همهم سقوط الدولة في سوريا، ومحاصرة المقاومة في لبنان”، لافتاً إلى أنّ “الجيش اللبناني مُنع، بموجب قرار سياسي، من مواجهة الجماعات الإرهابية في الجرود”.
وأضاف السيد نصر الله أن “في معركة الجرود هناك مَن منع الجيش من المواجهة. هؤلاء لو كانوا أكثرية في أي حكومة، فلن يجرؤوا يوماً على اتخاذ قرار، ليردّ الجيش اللبناني على أي عـدوان. هؤلاء أرسلوا الوفود وعقدوا المؤتمرات الصحافية” هناك دعماً للمجموعات المسلحة.
لا بدّ من الدولة العادلة والقادرة
وفيما يتعلّق بملف الإنماء في المناطق اللبنانية، قال الأمين العام لحزب الله إنّه “في كل مكان حضرنا فيه بقوة، استطعنا أن نكون فيه أكثر في خدمة الناس”، مضيفاً: “نحن إذا تولّينا مسؤولية وزارة لا نأخذ منها مالاً، بل ننفق فيها مالاً”.
وأوضح، في السياق، أنّه “لا بد من الدولة العادلة والقادرة من أجل معالجة مشاكل المنطقة، وتطويرها في مختلف الملفات التي يواجهها الناس”، واعداً اللبنانيين بمشروع استراتيجي لكل البقاع، و”هو مشروع النفق الذي يصل بيروت بالبقاع”.
وكشف السيد نصر الله أنّ “النفق هو بمثابة اتوستراد داخل النفق، وله فوائد متعددة في اختصار الوقت، وفي النقل، ويعيد مرفأ بيروت إلى موقعه الاستراتيجي في المنطقة”، مصرّحاً أيضاً بمشروع سكك حديدية إلى جانب الأتوستراد ومشاريع أخرى.
وأضاف: “يجب أن يتابَع المشروع من جانب النواب الذين سيمثّلون البقاع في المجلس الجديد، بناءً على ما بدأه وزير الأشغال الحالي، وهو ابن البقاع، من اتصالات بسفارات دول وشركات خاصة، وقد تحدث مع إيطاليين وفرنسيين وصينيين ومصريين وأتراك وإيرانيين”.
وأكّد السيد نصر الله أنّه “سيُبذَل مزيد من الجهود التي تتركز على المشاريع الزراعية وعلى التصريف الزراعي”، مؤكّداً أنّ ذلك “على درجة عالية من الأهمية”.
وأفاد بأنّ “هناك مشروعاً سنعمل عليه جميعاً، هو اللامركزية الإدارية، والعمل في الحكومة والمجلس النيابي الجديد على إنهاء ملف العلاقات اللبنانية السورية”، مشدداً على أنّ “عودة العلاقات الطبيعية بين لبنان وسوريا على المستوى الرسمي سيستفيد منه كل لبنان، وخصوصاً البقاع”.
سلاح المقاومة لم يمنع أحداً من الإصلاح
وبشأن الحملات الانتخابية التي جرت، قال السيد نصر الله “إننا سمعنا، في الحملات الانتخابية، كثيراً من الأمور المضحكة، وشهدنا حالة عجيبة من بث الكراهية والضغينة في لبنان”. ورأى أنّ ذلك “يؤشر على مستوى الخفة والانحطاط، أخلاقياً وفكرياً، عند بعض من يقدّمون أنفسهم قادةً، ويريدون حل الأزمات”.
وتابع أن “أحدهم مسؤول عن اختفاء 11 مليار دولار، وعن السياسات الاقتصادية التي أدت إلى الأزمات الحالية، ويقول إن طريق الإنقاذ يبدأ من تحرير الدولة من حزب الله”.
ووفق السيد نصر الله، فإن “هناك استغباءً للناس، عبر التخويف من حزب الله بطرائق سخيفة”، مؤكّداً أنّ “سلاح المقاومة لم يمنع أحداً من إصلاح الكهرباء وبناء السدود، ولم يقرر السياسات المالية المفجعة خلال العقود الماضية”.
وشدّد على أنّ “واشنطن هي التي ساعدت، مع جماعتها، على تهريب أموال المودعين اللبنانيين إلى الخارج”، مضيفاً أنّ “من شكل لوائحه الانتخابية في السفارة الأميركية فَلْيُطالِبْ واشنطن باسترجاع أموال المودعين اللبنانيين بعد تهريبها”. وأردف أنّ “أميركا هي التي تمنع الاستثمارات في لبنان، وتغطي على السرقات، وتعمل على تجويع اللبنانيين”.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed on Tuesday that trusting the promises of the US administration is matter of foolishness, urging the Lebanese officials to emancipate themselves from the US hegemony.
Addressing Hezbollah Wounded Fighter Day ceremony, Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that the US pressures on the Lebanese officials are preventing them from approving an agreement with a Russian oil firm.
Sayyed Nasrallah narrated that a Russian oil firm offered to build a refinery and provide the crude oil without costing the Lebanese government to pay fresh dollars, adding that the firm accepts the Lebanese national pound to be paid in return.
“The firm offered to refine 160,000 barrels of oil, or 200,000 barrels, through the large refinery. This would cover the Lebanese it needs. Lebanon would export oil derivatives, and the company sells the state in Lebanese pounds.”
His eminence clarified that such an agreement would enable Lebanon to cope with its power crisis and gasoline shortage, adding that the US embassy in Beirut has prevented the Lebanese officials from concluding the deal in order to avoid witnessing quarrels and brawls at gas stations.
Were Hezbollah ruling Lebanon, this agreement would have been concluded one year and a half ago, Sayyed Nasrallah confirmed.
In this regard, Sayyed Nasrallah urged Lebanese president and council of ministers to approve the agreement with the Russian firm, saying, “If you want to please USA, you must know that their demands are limitless.”
If you start submitting to the US dictates, you will not be able to stop, Sayyed Naasrallah addressed the Lebanese officials.
Sayyed Nasrallah called on the Lebanese officials to keep committed to freedom, independence, national interest and patriotism, adding that Lebanon has never benefited from the US false promises.
Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the US State Department has not yet provided Egypt and Jordan with any official waiver in order to allow the gas and power transaction to Lebanon to occur, adding that US ambassador to Lebanon power pledge was a mere false promise.
Sayyed Nasrallah called on the Lebanese officials to show the Americans that Lebanon can have several economic choices, in order to push them to make concessions or give alternatives, adding that Hezbollah accepts that oil firms invest in Lebanon oil sector if they manage to end the crisis.
Tell the Americans that the Lebanese are not their slaves in order to preserve the national sovereignty, Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the Lebanese officials.
Providing another evidence that Hezbollah does not control the state in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted the Lebanese official condemnation of Russian operation in Ukraine.
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that Lebanon should have refrained from voting for the UN denunciation of the Russian operation in Ukraine, adding that the Lebanese Foreign Ministry statement which denounced the Russian operation was drafted by the US embassy in Beirut.
Sayyed Nasrallah wondered how the neutrality proponents in Lebanon refrained from rejecting the Lebanese Foreign Ministry statement which involves Lebanon in a dispute with a great country, Russia.
Sayyed Nasrallah noted that all the neutrality calls on Lebanon were aimed at averting assuming the responsibilities towards the Palestinian cause, Syria, and Yemen in order to please the US administration.
“Hezbollah rejects neutrality, but why have neutrality proponents abandoned their principle in the case of the Ukrainian war?” Sayyed Nasrallah asked.
Hezbollah Secretary General underscored the US administration’s betrayal of the Ukrainian President, adding that Volodymyr Zelensky’s disappointment about the West’s unkept promises of support in face of Russia is reflected in his readiness to compromise.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that trusting United States of America is matter of foolishness, stupidity, and ignorance, highlighting the moral fall of the West as reflected by the racial discrimination among the refugees in Ukraine.
Sayyed Nasrallah noted that US officials accuse Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine and disregard the American massacres in numerous countries, highlighting also the European crimes in Africa, the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Saudi aggression on Yemen.
Sayyed Nasrallah added that the International community laments days-long siege on Ukrainian cities and disregards the Israeli blockade on Gaza as well as the Saudi blockade on Yemen.
Sayyed Nasrallah also noted that the international community resorted to silence about the US-fabricated suicide bombers’ crime of attacking a mosque in Pakistan last week.
His eminence also recalled how the US warplanes raided weddings in Afghanistan and claimed that the targets are military camps, highlighting the double-standards policy admitted by Washington.
In this regard, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted the moral fall of the West reflected by the racial discrimination among the refugees in Ukraine.
Hezbollah Secretary General had first congratulated the faithful Muslims on the inception of Rajab Month, during which believers are supposed to prepare themselves spiritually to welcome the Holy Month of Ramadan, and the birthday of Imam Hussein (P), Al-Abbas bin Ali (P), Imam Ali bin Hussein (P).
Sayyed Nasrallah started his speech with a focus on the occasion of the Wounded Fighter Day,which falls on the birthday of Al-Abbas, the brother of third Shia Imam Hussein Bin Ali (P), highly appreciating their sacrifices for the sake of the nation.
We congregate here to express our pride of your sacrifices, struggle, steadfastness and patience, Sayyed Nasrallah said, highlighting the contribution of the wounded Resistance fighters to the victories and their repercussion on the whole national security and stability.
Sayyed Nasrallah underscored gratitude to the wounded Resistance fighters in the epoch of ungratefulness, hinting at those who forget the sacrifices of the wounded for the sake of the whole nation.
Sayyed Nasrallah also said that Imam Abbas, the role-model of the wounded Resistance fighters, was the patron who did not avert his responsibilities despite his injuries, adding that Imam Jaafar Al-Sadek (P) underscored Al-Abbas concentration on insight and firm faith.
In this regard, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted the importance of insight which enables the person to know more about the conditions of his country and the whole region.
The ceremony was started with a recital of a number of Holy Coranic verses before one of the wounded Resistance fighters reiterated allegiance to Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun’s trip to Qatar for help can only be a placebo for his country’s woes. To jumpstart Lebanon’s recovery, he needs to be prepared to realign with new regional actors.
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun heads to Doha to seek urgent help from Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. But Qatar can provide little compared to three other Asian powers.Photo Credit: The Cradle
The crisis in Lebanon goes from bad to worse. Rolling blackouts and soaring gas prices are just some of the ordeals people face day to day. They are buying less meat while pleading with family and friends abroad to send them medicine. Much of Lebanon’s middle class has sunk into poverty. The Lebanese Lira has lost nearly all value while health crises continue to plague the country. And as the crisis grows beyond all expectations, so does public anger.
It is within this context that Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun paid a visit to Qatar on 29 November. While in Doha, Aoun met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss Lebanon’s internal crises, as well as the diplomatic row between Beirut and four of Qatar’s fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members – Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The dispute erupted in October after a Qatari news program aired comments made by Lebanon’s former Information Minister George Kordahi, criticizing the Saudi-led invasion of Yemen.
After weeks of undue pressure from Riyadh, which at times was described as tantamount to a war declaration, Kordahi was ultimately forced to resign on 3 December.
For his part Aoun, one of Hezbollah’s political allies, said he wanted Beirut’s relationship with Riyadh to improve significantly. The president of Lebanon and the emir of Qatar have both said that Arab nations need to stand by Lebanon and “overcome any flaws that might face these relations.”
What can Qatar do for Lebanon?
At this juncture questions remain about how much the Lebanese can count on Qatar for help. Doha will likely provide some form of aid, but this kind of assistance or investments are unlikely to generate much change in the Levantine nation. And while the Qataris may be able to ease some friction between Beirut and its GCC partners, it is far from clear if any Qatari mediation can help loosen the Saudi chokehold on Lebanon.
Ryan Bohl, a West Asia analyst at risk consultancy agency Stratfor/Rane, told The Cradle that Aoun’s trip to Doha could open the doors for Lebanon to receive “some humanitarian aid, especially as Qatar looks to keep its human rights defender reputation ahead of the World Cup in 2022.”
Nonetheless, Bohl also believes that there are significant limits to what Lebanon can expect from Qatar at this point. “Doha knows that Lebanon is a financial black hole, and so boosting Lebanon’s currency reserves or providing any other aid beyond humanitarian support is unlikely.”
What has become readily apparent is that GCC states have given up on Lebanon in many respects. And while Doha remains determined to assert some degree of influence through their unique history of building networks in the country, the Qataris are fully aware that Lebanon has undergone changes that make it less important to Gulf monarchies.
“[Although Doha] might agree to pay salaries of certain state employees, or [members of] the military, or potentially put some money into the central bank like the Qataris have done before, it’s unlikely to be a major investment that’s going to turn things around for Lebanon,” Dr. Andreas Krieg, assistant professor at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, told The Cradle.
“The Qataris are aware that there are issues of corruption [in Beirut]. You’re unlikely to get very good returns on your investments,” Dr. Krieg pointed out.
As far as the diplomatic crisis goes, Qatari officials are looking to mediate between Beirut and the rest of the GCC states in an attempt to have all sides reach a consensual position to restore working relations.
This is a role Doha has been trying to play since the Saudis took it upon themselves to create a rift between its closest GCC allies and crisis-hit Lebanon.
Dr. Krieg also explained how, despite going on record to condemn the comments made by Lebanon’s former Information Minister, the Qataris also took it upon themselves to resolve the row.
“The Qataris very early on went to the Saudis and other GCC partners saying ‘we’re happy to mediate [and try] to find a solution to this,’” Dr. Krieg explains. “They received tacit approval from the Saudis to do that. So, the foreign minister was supposed to go to Lebanon. In the end he didn’t. But I think with the Lebanese president coming to Doha, this is also part of that [Qatari effort] to find a way to explore opportunities for a mediation process.”
According to West Asian analyst Ryan Bohl, Doha’s attempt to dial down the tensions “would once again serve Qatar’s ambition of being a diplomatic powerhouse and mediator as well as a humanitarian facilitator.”
But mediation by Qatar might prove unmanageable considering the firm stance Saudi Arabia and the UAE have taken against Hezbollah, as they consider the resistance group to represent Iran’s influence inside Lebanon. The clear trend among Gulf nations to withdraw resources and energy from Lebanon is not one anyone expects Qatar to reverse.
Saudi influence in Lebanon has been declining for quite some time. Nonetheless, it’s safe to conclude that neither Qatar nor any other GCC member seeks to take over Riyadh’s historic role in Lebanon. “Qatar is neither interested in a proxy struggle with Iran nor … in taking up that role of throwing good money after bad in Beirut,” Bohl says.
Yet Doha is not without experience or networks in Lebanon. Back in the 2000s, the Qataris were involved in the reconstruction of southern Lebanon and took part in mediation efforts between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government.
Today, Doha could build on those networks which position it as a Gulf state with a non-sectarian agenda in the Levantine nation and which has working relations with all major communities in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s bleak situation atop the rift between Beirut and four GCC states offer Doha an opportunity to assert further influence in the country.
Looking east, toward rising economies
Lebanon, in its current form, will likely experience a future where neither western nor GCC states are going to be willing to help with its crises. It might therefore be easy to imagine influential Lebanese figures joining Hassan Nasrallah in the belief that Lebanon must pivot to Chinese and Russian orbits of influence.
Tehran’s influence in Beirut is not a factor that would deter either Beijing or Moscow from assisting Lebanon. This constitutes a major contrast to western powers and most GCC states which consider any influence from Iran in the Mediterranean country a serious issue, a fact made evident by how much Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign harmed the Lebanese economy.
A Lebanon that looks towards the east could therefore complicate its relations with western governments. To be sure, if Lebanon does move closer to China, the country will not only remain a hotspot in the Iranian–Saudi rivalry, but could also become an arena where the friction between Beijing and western powers plays out in increasingly tense ways.
Over recent years China has deepened its influence in numerous West Asian states, such as the UAE, and even in Israel, by developing their networks and strengthening ties in ways that alarm Washington.
Beijing’s incursion into Lebanon and its image as a possible savior could result in weakening US–Lebanon ties. Washington’s ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea has already warned of consequences if Beirut turns to China for investment relief, saying such a move could come “at the expense of the country’s prosperity, stability or fiscal viability or its long-standing relations with the United States.”
Doubtless, China is likely to find ways to benefit from a deeper partnership with Lebanon, especially in light of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This mega-infrastructure project alone has officials in western governments questioning whether Lebanon can remain what the Foreign Policy columnist Anchal Vohra recently described as “an outpost of Western values and influence in [West Asia].”
Russia is also an essential element of the ‘look east’ approach supported by Hezbollah and others in Lebanon. However, the Russians have far less economic influence in Lebanon compared to the Chinese, which remains the country’s largest trading partner, even prior to the economic crisis.
Yet Moscow remains important to Lebanon in matters of diplomacy, energy, and mainly security, given the Kremlin’s ongoing military presence in neighboring Syria.
Mindful of Washington’s crippling sanctions against the Syrian government and certain actors in Lebanon, Russian companies, many of which are also sanctioned by the US, have much experience operating in the so-called ‘gray sphere.’ This means Russian firms might possess unique advantages that Lebanese businesses and individuals would find appealing, particularly in their ability to circumvent sanctions for trade and transactions involving Syria.
Looking ahead, a Lebanon that moves closer to China and Russia could create a new period of uncertainty for Beirut as it finds new footholds in an increasingly multipolar world.
The risks and rewards of such a pivot to the east are likely to remain the source of debate for many in Lebanon who are looking for help from any country willing to assist it during a crisis that has been described as the worst of the modern era.
Ultimately, while Aoun’s latest trip abroad was to Doha, many Lebanese may be holding on to hope that his next one will be either to Beijing or Moscow.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Cradle.
The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Mohamad Raad said, “We smell a coup against the Taif Agreement. This coup aims at reassuring the ‘Israeli’ enemy that the Lebanese people can’t face its aggression, so that it dictates its normalization and authoritarian policies and control even deciding the fate of our gas wealth in our territorial waters, as gas exploration is confined to certain companies of certain countries. Despite all this, we still talk about independence and sovereignty, but we are incapable of building one power facility that supplies Lebanon with power 24/7”.
Raad made the statement during the memorial ceremony held by Hezbollah on the 40th day on the passing of Martyr Muhammad Jamal Tamer.
He added, “Our national currency collapsed because it depends on foreign currency. Tomorrow, our policy will collapse because it also depends on foreign policies. If the Lebanese people want this, it’s up to them, but we are sacrificing our blood and souls to protect those who don’t know where there interest is in this period. Is it required that we commit suicide so that others are satisfied? We are keen to preserve the common living in this country; we want it to rule sovereignly and independently, and that its interests are in accordance with the aspirations, will, and national decision”.
“If anyone thinks that the equation has gone wrong and that the power balance became in the interest of the ‘Israeli’ axis and normalization and wants to turn against the Taif, we tell our people to pay attention to this miscalculation because Lebanon has gotten out of the ‘Israeli’ era and will not return to it; as all the methods of force that were used to twist the arm of the Resistance failed, and the sponsors of strife realized that the Resistance benefits from the national consensus on its role in Lebanon. So, let us not allow a faction of the Lebanese to undermine this consensus… The weapon of the Resistance has become on everyone’s lips, and media outlets have been bought in order to promote this issue,” Raad added.
Regarding the Tayouneh crime, Raad said, “What happened is not just a clash between the people of two areas, it’s rather a designed and planned aggression in order to cause a strife and to push people to fight among themselves and mess up the whole situation, so that the killer gives his credentials to the people who hired and pay him regionally or internationally”.
Raad concluded saying, “From now on and without wasting time and opportunities, let’s figure things out. Don’t let anybody drag you to a new civil war in order to impose on you a settlement with new balances of power, as long as people are open to each other and ready for dialogue, and as long as they appreciate their common interests and have no enemies but one enemy, which is still occupying our land”.
Speech of Hezbollah’s Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah tackling a range of political developments on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] and his grandson Imam Jaafar Sadiq [AS], and the Muslim Unity Week.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon our Master and Prophet, the Seal of Prophets, Abi al-Qassem Muhammad Bin Abdullah and his good and pure household and his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all.
In the coming days, God willing, we will welcome a very dear, precious, and great occasion, which is the anniversary of the birth of the Greatest Messenger of God, the Seal of the Prophets, and the Master of Messengers, Muhammad bin Abdullah [PBUH]. I congratulate all Muslims in the world and all Lebanese on this great and solemn occasion in advance. God willing, on this occasion, we will hold a proper and appropriate celebration in a few days, and therefore, I will leave talking about the celebrant and the occasion itself until then.
With regard to the topics, I divided them into two part. One part I will talk about today, and the second I will talk about it, God willing, during that celebration.
I will begin with tonight’s topics. I will speak about the first topic as briefly as possible, appropriate, and unobtrusive.
1- The elections:
The country today is busy preparing for the electoral law, the dates of the elections, the administrative procedures related to the elections, and the natural prelude to entering the stage of the electoral atmosphere as well as having the elections on time.
Regarding the elections, I want to emphasize several points:
i- Holding the elections on time
We have already talked about this and emphasized it on more than one occasion. In any case, there still remain those who try to spread confusion by blaming a certain party, including us sometimes, of planning to extend and postpone the elections, etc. This is all baseless talk. We affirm, insist, and call for the elections to be held on time within the constitutional deadline. To be fair and according to our follow-up with all the parliamentary blocs, parties, and political forces, we believe that no one – so as not to make baseless accusations like some opponents do – whether implicitly or openly is planning or preparing to push matters towards the postponement of the parliamentary elections and the extension of the current Parliament. Therefore, let us put this issue behind us and let everyone engage in holding the parliamentary elections on time, and we are certainly one of those.
ii- The expatriate vote
We agreed to the current law, which was voted on in 2018 and followed in the 2018 elections, as a result of the discussions, and in all sincerity, taking our allies into account. We agreed to a number of things in that law. In the joint parliamentary committees, whether formally or informally, a discussion took place some time ago, and some parliamentary blocs asked to reconsider or demanded a reconsideration. Some of our deputies expressed a position based on an existing reality. This same discussion existed in 2018 and became more intense at the time than it was in the past. This issue was the expatriate vote.
Today, when we want to prepare electoral campaigns or for people who want to run for office or be elected, there is no equal opportunity, whether in conducting electoral campaigns, in candidacy, or even by going to the polls to exercise free elections, specifically with Hezbollah. There will be other political forces whose situation may be less sensitive, but Hezbollah’s situation abroad, in some European countries, in North America, in the Gulf, and some other Arab countries is known. There is no possibility for preparing an electoral campaign, candidacy, or elections. In fact, this is a point of appeal, and we had mentioned to our allies that with regard to Hezbollah, we would not submit an appeal.
But someone can file an appeal regarding the elections in terms of unequal opportunities. The brothers raised the issue from this angle, and an atmosphere emerged in the country that there were those who wanted to prevent the expatriates from voting. Extensive debates were held over this and there was no problem. We discussed the issue once again and came up with the following conclusion. It was expressed by our deputies at the last meeting of the joint committees. But I’d like to mention it here to close discussions on it.
We, once again, discussed and evaluated it. This is what we had to say. Regardless of how many countries in which expatriates or residents will take part in the parliamentary elections – they usually participate in presidential elections – and if there are countries that participate in parliamentary elections, this may be present and perhaps their number may be few, but in any case, as long as the injustice befalls specifically us, we do not have a problem.
This means that we, Hezbollah specifically, will be oppressed. We will not be allowed abroad or have the right to campaign, announce candidacy, or the freedom to vote. This even applies to our supporters. But as long as the injustice pertains to us and there is a national interest and it allows the Lebanese residing outside Lebanese to feel that they are partners and bear responsibility, we have no problem with that. We will overlook this observation, and that is why our brothers amended and said that we support the principle of expatriate voting, in principle. We divided the issue.
Now, there is a detail that whether the expatriates or those residing outside the Lebanese territories will vote according to the constituencies in Lebanon or elect the six representatives that are said to be allocated for the elections abroad. If they are going to vote according to the constituencies in Lebanese, we have no problem with that. And if voting on the six representatives will be confirmed, we are open to discussions when it’ll be discussed in Parliament. However, if the topic is not discussed, there is a law. So, work according to the law. Hence, we consider this matter closed.
And we hope, God willing, from our brothers, our expatriates and people residing outside the Lebanese territories to register and take part in the elections. They are welcome, and we hope that they will have the real opportunity to frankly express their opinion.
iii- Voting at the age of 18
With regard to the issue of [voting at] the age of 18, I honestly tell all the Lebanese people and young people between the age of 18 and 21 that this matter is only raised to be used locally. It is always raised at a time close to deadlines, and time does not help. Although it was brought up at a time way ahead of deadlines, something strange happened. Since 1992 when we first took part in the parliamentary elections, we’ve been known to have strongly supported giving young people at the age of 18 the right to vote.
Whenever you talk with political forces, you find that everyone is in favor. Yet, you go to the Parliament and it gets dropped. There is something strange in this country. We not only raised this in our speeches, slogans, and political and electoral programs, but we also seriously worked and fought hard for it. In March 2009, the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc proposed a constitutional amendment law to reduce the voting age to 18 since this needs a constitutional amendment. In March 2009, it was voted unanimously. This was before the 2009 elections. The constitutional amendment needs two-thirds of the members of the parliament. The government also voted unanimously on this proposal. It was returned to the parliament after the parliamentary elections in the February 2010 session. The session was attended by more than 100 deputies, out of which only 34 deputies voted on the project, mainly the Amal Movement, Hezbollah, and some other blocs. The rest of the blocs abstained, and it fell through. There is really something strange about this country.
If you now make an opinion poll for the parliamentary blocs and the political forces, they all tell you: yes, this is their natural right, and they must elect, etc. Of course, I heard a strange two days ago saying that young people need to be prepared and educated. What is this talk!
In Lebanese, children as young as five or six years old talk politics! You are talking about 18-year-olds. These need educating, preparation, school programs!!! What is this nonsense?!
Anyway, we once again call, the expatriates have the right to vote. All people should demand this right and respect it. If they are wronged somewhere like us, let us go beyond this oppression. With regard to the issue of voting at the age of 18, there is no injustice to anyone. If this right is not given, this is injustice to all Lebanese youth who are being deprived of the right to participate in the parliamentary elections only for purely partisan and personal reasons, not for national or real reasons..
iv- The MegaCenter
Also, related to the elections is the MegaCenter. We have no problem so that no one later says that Hezbollah is preventing this from happening. From now, we do not have a problem. You want to adopt the megacenter, go ahead. You don’t want the megacenter, also go ahead. You want to adopt the magnetic card, we don’t mind. Whether the Ministry of the Interior wants to adopt it or not, let it go ahead. What do you want us to vote with? The identification card? We’ll use it to vote. An excerpt of the civil registry? We’ll use it to vote. We’ll use whatever you want. We do not have a problem. Just hold the elections on time and don’t come up with excuses for not holding the elections on their constitutional dates. The rest of the matters related to the elections, nominations, alliances, the electoral program, and reading the electoral scene will be discussed at their right time, God willing.
2- The electricity file:
In fact, I should have started talking about this file, but I deliberately did not start with it because this file contains some annoyance. Hence, I opted to start with the elections.
In the past few days, they told the Lebanese that fuel has run out, the factories will stop working, and the country will go into complete darkness. Save us. What should we do? Now, they’ve found a temporary solution. They found some with the Lebanese army, and the army instructed to take advantage of what it has to overcome this stage. Of course, We thank the leadership of the Lebanese army for this kind humanitarian step.
But the question remains: Today, this issue should be an absolute priority for the current government. Basically, when the cry came out, it was necessary – this is our personal suggestion – that the government hold an extraordinary session, not a two- or three-hour session, but one that remains from dawn to dusk to find a solution. What does it mean that the country has entered complete darkness? This does not only mean that the country is in complete darkness because of power outage, the country is in a state of clinical death because here we are talking about hospitals, cooperatives, everything having no electricity. Despite this, what has been happening in the country? Instead of calling for a serious, radical, and real treatment, as usual, the Lebanese blamed each other for being responsible, insulted and cursed each other, and insulted one another. All of this does not bring electricity.
Eventually, responsibilities must be determined. But usually in the prevailing Lebanese way, people enter the labyrinth, with more grudges, insults, and swearing emerge. And you’ve seen social media in the past two days.
Since the government holds its session every Wednesday, the priority on the table must be the issue of electricity. What I want to call for tonight is for you to see what you want to do regarding electricity. Find a solution or put the country on the path to a solution, not that pump it with painkillers, i.e., take an advance from the central bank and buy fuel with it for power plants to generate electricity for a few hours. Does this solve the problem? How many days and weeks will this last? The issue needs a radical solution. There are contracts that exist. Make up your mind, say yes or no, but address the issue in any way.
Today, a sum of money was sent to the Lebanese government – the Lebanese state. One billion and one hundred million dollars is in the hands of the Lebanese government. If we want to speak as a matter of absolute priority, take advantage of this amount or part of it and primarily and radically address the issue of electricity – building new power plants, addressing the problem of existing plants. The matter is in your hands. There are many offers from various countries in the world, from the East and the West. You do not want from the East, from the West, then, unless there is an American veto.
If the Americans are forbidding you, tell the Lebanese people frankly: O Lebanese people, we are terrified and unable to bring in European companies because the Americans will be angry with us and have forbidden us from doing so.
In this way the people will express their opinions – whether or not they’d like to live in darkness and in humiliation with no electricity, as the Lebanese used to live in humiliation with the lack of gasoline and diesel. We’ll act depending on the outcome. I know, for example, in Iraq – this is a common and well-known thing there – that the Iraqis have an electricity problem. When they tried to reach an understanding with some European countries, the Americans intervened forcefully and prevented them. So, is there a veto here in Lebanon, an American veto preventing that?
As for the Iranians, there was an old offer. Today, there is a new offer. Two days ago, when His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran was in Beirut, he reconfirmed that we are ready to build two plants and provide a certain, large, and respectable quantity. Respond to him.
Ask for an exception since America is your friend. To us, they are our enemy, and we expect anything from our enemies. But they are your friends and allies. You trust them and consider them moral and humanitarian who possess human values and law. Ask them for an exception.
Iraq got an exception. Afghanistan under the rule of the Ghani government had an exception – it used to import many things from Iran. Other neighboring countries have exceptions. You ask for an exception. I learned a rather funny thing that was in fact published in the media – when one Lebanese official was by told by the Iranian foreign minister to ask for an exception as the other countries, the official replied to him, saying: I hope you will ask for the exception. It’s a very funny thing. Imagine a Lebanese official telling the Iranians who have enmity with the Americans to do so. There is an ongoing war between them and the Americans, and I him: you ask the Americans for an exception so that you can build us, for example, power plants, or so you can sell us fuel for the power plants, or so you can sell us gasoline or diesel. What a way of taking responsibility?
Anyway, regarding this issue along with all the people, we will raise the voice. The government, the President of the Republic, and the Prime Minister must determine the agenda. But we are among the people who have the right to demand that electricity be at the top of the agenda, or they should allocate an emergency and urgent special session and work for a real radical treatment for this issue. If the issue remains a matter of throwing accusations and scoring points and who disrupted, we will get nowhere.
Hezbollah or others may have raised this suspicion in the past. For the first time, I would like to raise a suspicion. I’m one of those people who has a feeling that somewhere there might be a certain game. Let me say how. It’s the same with what happened gasoline, diesel, and food stuff. The state knows that at some point it will have to lift the subsidies. Everyone tells you that there is no solution except the International Monetary Fund, and the IMF will ask for the subsidies to be lifted, and no one dares to take the responsibility of lifting the subsidy.
They’ll let the people fight, race to cooperatives, and queue at gas stations for petrol, diesel, etc. After a month, two, or three, they’ll start shooting each other, cursing one another, and wielding knives at each other. Then, they will call for the subsidies to be lifted just to be saved and accept the fact that the price of gasoline is 500,000LBP.
If the subsidies are lifted, the problem of the humiliating queues will be solved. Therefore, if you notice and you can go back to the media when we saw the humiliating queues, the voices called for the subsidies to be lifted. This action was serving this. Whether this was intentional and planned or not needs to be verified.
When talking about the subject of electricity, privatization and selling some state assets and some public sectors, including the electricity sector, are always mentioned. The electricity sector is always being eyed for privatization.
There is a fear I would like to raise today. I do not want to accuse anyone. It is very unclear to me, to be honest, that somewhere – within the government or outside it or whether they belong to the opposition or not – they want the electricity sector in Lebanon to collapse. Then, the state would be helpless and unable to solve the problem. Hence, there would be no solution except through privatization. Then, the Lebanese people would not want to live in darkness, so they’d demand to solve this problem with privatization. This is the real fear. We must pay attention to this subject.
From this subject, I will delve into the third point which is related to diesel, gasoline, and the like. I once again make appeal to the various political forces and leaders in Lebanon – brothers, go and check with your allies and friends. I repeat and say that whatever we are capable of doing with our allies and friends, we will do. What can Iran do more than this? They are already telling you that they are prepared to sell you gasoline, diesel, and fuel and build power plants and metro stations. They want to cooperate with you and offer you facilities. This is a solution.
The Syrians told you they do not have a problem. Bring Egyptian gas and electricity from Jordan. I will offer you the facilities you want. If there is anything else, I am at your service as well. These are our allies.
As for your allies, we have not seen them do anything. You have not done anything. Talk to someone to make you an exception. Talk to someone to help the Lebanese. If your allies told you that Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese people, then exclude Hezbollah and bring help for the rest of the Lebanese areas. Act responsibly, not maliciously.
Until now, we still hear that, for example, they brought diesel from Iran. They brought it across the border into Syria, so 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. We hear it every other Sunday, etc. Here is another example of the level of responsibility in the country. A politician reached a conclusion that the power cut stated happening when diesel was brought in from Iran as the power plants broke down. You all know. It is all known. He did not know that the state’s electricity plants run on fuel, and what was brought from Iran was diesel. There is no relation between diesel, fuel, and electricity plants. In any case, this is the level that exists in the country.
This is a call for the last time. Budge a little. Move a little, and don’t be malicious. What is your main role other than criticizing, insulting, and accusing? Do something positive for your people and your country.
3- Gasoline and diesel:
I moved to the third topic, in which I will talk about what happened with us and what will happen concerning diesel and gasoline.
So far, we consider ourselves still in the first phase. Of course, a number of ships have arrived so far, and we are gradually moving them to Lebanon. We consider that the first phase will continue until the end of October. During the first phase, we did two things, and we will continue with them.
The first thing we said is that there is a group that we will gift them diesel for a month and a group that we will sell diesel to. We did not put the diesel at the stations and said, “People, please. Who wants to buy can come.” Meaning that we are doing more than the goal. We said that the goal is to secure this material for these pressing and urgent cases, and we do not want to compete or block the way for companies and stations that sell diesel. In the end, we will give to a group and the rest can buy from the stations. By doing so, we are not cutting off people’s livelihood. We adopted this approach, and we will indeed continue until the end of October as a first phase.
Within this first phase, there are two points I would like to add.
1- We had announced a gift or donation for a group for a period of one month. That period has ended. There is a quantity that has arrived and another that is on the way, and it will reach them, God willing. What I would like to announce today is that we will renew this gift. This gift is for the same group and will be for an additional month, for a second month.
I will again mention the institutions belonging to this group: government hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, centers for people with special needs, official water institutions, water wells belonging to municipalities, provided they are a poor municipalities, and fire brigades in the Civil Defense and the Lebanese Red Cross. After the end of the first month, I announce today that we will provide the quantity they need from this material as a gift and assistance, God willing, for a second month.
2- Regarding the groups, I would like to announce that this material would also be sold to the fishermen. This addition comes following many revisions that have been made. We’ve already started and not just starting. This happened in the last period. The fishermen has been added to the segments to which this material can be sold to. The same institutions that we talked about before will remain – private hospitals, pharmaceutical laboratories, mills, bakeries, etc. We will complete the first phase by working with the same [entities] we worked with last month.
When we reach the second phase, which starts from the beginning of November, we will add heating for families. We and our brothers are studying the standards because the most important thing is to abide by the standards. During the past month, there were cases that included people not belonging to the group that this material can be sold to contacted us. These people are very dear to us and we love to be of service to them. However, we had a serious commitment to the standards and the groups. If we did not abide, it will be chaotic, and, therefore, we would not be able to serve the groups that we considered a priority.
Today, we have the issue of heating that needs to be studied, and it is a very big topic. For example, among the entities that it will be sold to are private hospitals, bakeries, mills, laboratories, etc. We considered that establishments and companies operating generators are the largest segment, and they, in fact, are the ones that need the largest amount. But when we bring in the issue of heating, there is no comparison because here you are talking about Lebanese families in areas where there is cold and frost.
This requires different controls, standards, and a distribution mechanism that we are studying. God willing, before the beginning of November, we will talk about this issue, I or one of my brothers, and it will be announced in detail. Also because of winter, we may add new entities. This, too, is being evaluated and studied – first of all because of the high demand that happened. The volume of requests in all Lebanese regions was very large. I’d say it was greater than expected, yes, greater than expected. It is very large in all areas. This is on the one hand.
On the other hand, winter season is coming, and of course, the demand for diesel will increase exponentially – we had made diesel a priority. This means that we have decided to continue with diesel being the priority. We postponed bringing gasoline. Even if we get gasoline, we will exchange it for diesel with the merchants because the priority now is to provide the fuel oil in the way that it is secure. Thank God, now, in one way or another, the queues of humiliation are over. Gasoline is available at the stations, albeit at a high price. Our main concern was to get rid of the queues of humiliation. Now, these queues are over. Gasoline is available. We do not believe now, as a result of the large file, that we should work on all the entities. We have to focus our priority on diesel, especially since we are a few weeks away from winter season.
I will conclude this whole file. We heard people say, leave the Lebanese state buy its own gasoline and diesel from Iran. We support this talk. This is our demand. Let the Lebanese government ask the Americans for an exception, while the Lebanese companies buy. We guarantee that they will get facilities from Iran to buy diesel, gasoline, and fuel from Iran, etc. At that point, we will withdraw from this file. We will leave the file completely. We will not buy, nor bring ships, nor transport to Baniyas, nor bring from Baniyas to Baalbek. We will leave the matter completely. Go ahead, take responsibility. Open this door. This only needs some courage and boldness. Many countries neighboring Iran have exceptions – exceptions in buying gasoline, diesel, oil derivatives, and many other materials. Go ahead, work on this matter. This is one of the doors – you consider that we are violating sovereignty. Good, then help us so that we do not violate sovereignty. Go ahead, ask for an exception and open this door.
4- The Beirut Port [blast] investigation:
I would like to recall what I used to say since the beginning – we want and support the investigation. I honestly say and tell you that even if the families of the martyrs and the wounded abandoned the investigation, we, Hezbollah, will not abandon the investigation. We consider ourselves among those who were affected not only in terms of martyrs, wounded, and homes, but we were also affected morally, politically, and media wise. Taking humanitarian considerations towards the families of the martyrs, we want the truth and accountability. Politically and morally, we, as Hezbollah, want the truth and we want accountability. There is no discussion regarding this topic. It is not cutting of the road in front of the investigation nor is it to end or cancel the file. Never. Whoever says this is unfair. We want to reach a result. What is really required is justice. What the former judge did is clear. He was biased and politicized. We spoke loudly about this and gave advise. The man rose and asked with legitimate suspicion and left. The man made a legitimate request and left. However, instead of benefiting from all the mistakes and the observations made to the previous judge, the current judge continued with the same mistakes. He ignored these remarks and did worse. The current judge’s work is politically motivated and biased. His work is being politicized and has nothing to do with the truth and justice.
Before I conclude, I would like to address the families of the martyrs – if you expect to uncover the truth with this judge, you will not. If you expect that this judge will bring you justice, even at the level of an indictment, you will not get it. The work of this judge is politically motivated. He is exploiting the blood of the martyrs, the wounded, the tragedy, and the calamity to serve political goals and political targeting.
1- We previously talked about the evidence, but now I would like to highlight the issue more because we have reached a point that can no longer be tolerated.
Let us simply talk logically. Is this interference in the affairs of the judiciary? But first off, tell me this is a judiciary so that I can agree with you whether this is interference or not. This is not a judiciary. This is a politically-motivated job. As long as it is a politically-motivated job, allow me to say a couple of words. What do science and justice say? They say there was an explosion. Hence, look for the responsibilities. This is a problem that I will return to shortly.
I would like to ask the current judge – disregard the previous judge. Since the arrival of the ammonium nitrate ship to Lebanon’s Beirut Port to Lebanon, there have been two presidents: President Michel Suleiman and His Excellency President Michel Aoun. His Excellency, President Michel Aoun has said on more than one occasion – a transparent man – “I knew on this day and I followed up this way. I am ready for the judge to come and listen to me.”
Did you listen to him? You are a judge who works as the judiciary, did you listen to His Excellency the President and took his statement? He is the one telling to go to him. What are you afraid of?
Did you ask President Michel Suleiman? Did you listen to him? did you ask him – you were the president of the republic when this ship came and entered, did you know? What did you do? Regardless of whether he was responsible or not. You did not ask him, and you did not listen to His Excellency the President even though he invited you.
Since the day the ship entered Lebanon in November 2013, there have been multiple prime ministers. You, the judge, quickly belittled Prime Minister Hassan Diab and thought you can accuse him, summon him, etc.
One question. Did you ask former heads of government? Did you listen to them? I’m not telling you to summon them. Did you go to them? Did you sit with them? Did you ask them even a question about their knowledge of the subject? What did they do if they had knowledge? Were they responsible or not? You did not do any of this. You quickly went to Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Can you tell me that the explosion took place during the premiership of PM Hassan Diab? Why did you go after the former ministers and not the current ministers? I am not defending people who are our friends only. Among them are our friends and those who are not our friends. The people I’m telling you to investigate include some of our friends. Why did you not ask the ministers in the current government who were in office when the explosion occurred? Instead, you went to the former ministers. Why not all the former ministers? Did you ask all the finance ministers? Did you summon them all and investigated with them? Did you investigate and ask the ministers of works who were in office in November 2013? The current Minister of Works is also our friend. The ministers of interior who were in office in November 2013 until today is also our friend. The ministers of defense as well as the ministers of finance and works are also the ministers of guardianship. Did you investigate with the ministers of defense? Non, you didn’t. Did you ask the ministers of justice? No, you didn’t. Did you ask all the heads of the security and military services? No, you did not. I tell you no because they really did not ask them. he asked some of them, but not all of them. What do they call this? You are going after specific agencies, specific ministers, and a specific prime minister is clearly [political] targeting. Does the issue need a little understanding in order to see that there is clearly targeting? There is political targeting. This is the first point. We’ve spoken about this in the past. We also warned you. Do not be biased and politicized. Or else, we will demand you leave. Then he continues working as if nothing happened. On the contrary, he rose even more and behaved as if he was the ruler with regard to this file. This is the first point.
2- The main subject in the explosion:
The whole thing is incomprehensible. Yet, you skipped it. Basically, it is like what many Lebanese say. I am not saying anything new. The basic principle, O honorable judicial investigator, is that you go and tell the families of the martyrs before you incite them against the politicians. You have to tell these families that you sit with every other day who brought the ship, who let the ship dock, who gave permission, who left the materials in hangar 12, and who gave approval. You are not doing any of these. You are tackling another matter which comes in second place which is negligence. You are making a big deal out of this for settling political scores. O brother, tell the Lebanese people. If you don’t want to tell the Lebanese people, at least tell the families of the martyrs. And you, our people and our loved ones, the families of the martyrs, go and demand. This is your right to demand. Ask him how your children were killed? You, an investigative judge, do not want to tell them because this does not serve the politicization that you are working on. So, what did you turn to? To negligence. You are making a bigger deal out of negligence – the one who is charged with negligence should receive the most severe penalties.
I’m not asking for anything. I am only asking why he is disregarding and neglecting the first part of the issue. Why is the truth not told to the Lebanese? The judicial secrecy is the issue. It is not about someone killing another person. This is a catastrophe that has befell the country, and the country is heading towards a catastrophe if this judge continues working in this way. Therefore, the matter needs a different approach.
3- Bias:
The judges, who were involved and whose responsibility wss greater than that of the presidents of the republic, are responsible. I do not know. I am not a judge to rule on this matter. The responsibility of judges is greater than that of heads of government, ministers, and heads of the security services because the judges are the ones who allowed this material to enter and to be stored. The rest are all procedural. The two judges or the judges are the first to be responsible. O families of the martyrs, ask this judge. Ask him about those judges whose responsibility is unquestionable.
There might be a discussion about the responsibility of the prime minister, a specific minister, and the security apparatus. But there is no discussion that these judges are responsible. What did you do to them? You did nothing. You filed a lawsuit against them in court, the High Judicial Council and the Discriminatory Public Prosecution, and to appoint a special court. Great! You do not want to summon the judge, issue an arrest warrant for him, or imprison him because he is a judge. The judiciary wants to protect itself. However, you want to summon a respectable prime minister like Hassan Diab, subpoena him, issue an arrest warrant against him, and throw him in prison. Is this a state of law? Is this a state institution? Does this country have morals? The law says that judges go to court. The constitution says that presidents and ministers go to the presidents’ court. In the case of the presidents and ministers, why don’t you accept. You consider this your right and transcend all constitutional principles and attack people? However, in the case of the judges, the law says that they go to the High Judicial Council. Answer us so that we know whether what is happening is right, just, and fair or is political targeting?
4- The last part in this file:
When presidents, ministers, and representatives feel that they have been wronged, who do they turn to? They tell you – this specific judge is biased. He is attacking us and is unfair with us. He want to arrest us unjustly. He is impatient with formal matters as in talking with us and our lawyers. We are being wronged. Who do we turn to? In a state of law and institutions, the law must answer. They turned to a judicial body, and we see that this judicial body did not take its time to study the case, did not discuss, nor summon, nor investigate. It returned the request saying it’s outside of their jurisdiction. Whose jurisdiction is it? So, guide us. You say the law and the state of institutions, O Higher Judicial Council, answer. Bring the prime minister who will be summoned for arrest, the ministers, and others who may be caught up in lawsuits. Where are they being wronged? If there is no jurisdiction for so and so and so, who has jurisdiction then? This needs a solution and an answer. In any case, we have big problems. We consider that what is happening is a very bad situation. It will not lead to the truth and justice, but it will lead to injustice and to concealment of the truth. This does not mean that we are demanding that the investigation be closed. Not at all. We want an honest and a transparent judge, who works on a clear and transparent investigation based on rules, an investigation in which there is no bias. He must continue the investigation and this matter should not stop at all.
First, we want an answer. Where would an oppressed person and a person with suspicions seek refuge in this country?
Another thing, the issue is no longer a personal matter, the issue has repercussions at the national level and on the country. Today, I am appealing to the High Judicial Council. What is happening has nothing to do with the judiciary, nor with justice, with fairness, nor with the truth. You must find a solution to the matter. The Supreme Court does not want to resolve the issue. The Council of Ministers is required to resolve this issue. It referred this issue. It will be raised in the Council of Ministers. We will speak and others too. This matter cannot continue this way. There is no possibility for it to continue this way, especially in the next few days. Therefore, among the institutions, the High Judicial Council should meet and see how to address this issue. We are talking to you and on behalf of many people in this country. We are a large segment in this country, and we have the right to be heard. We have the right to be given an answer. We have the right to demand in the Council of Ministers. It is our right that the Council of Ministers discuss this issue and take a stance. In all honesty, I tell you this matter must not continue this way.
As for the rest of the points of discussion, I wanted to talk about the demarcation of the maritime borders, the disputed area, the new negotiations, the Israeli steps, and other files. We will talk about all this, God willing, during the occasion in a few days.
I just want to conclude with two points. I must, morally and ethically, talk about them.
The first point is the bombing that took place in Kunduz, a few days ago, in Afghanistan, in a mosque during Friday prayers, which led to dozens of martyrs and wounded. Of course, this is a painful matter. Any person, Muslim or not, will ache when he sees elderly people and children being killed, just because they were praying in a mosque. This is very sad and very painful.
Despite the distance, we also share with our family and loved ones and these oppressed families their grief and pain. We express our sorrow for what happened and condemn it. But what’s most important is that Daesh committed this crime and claimed responsibility. I say the Wahabi terrorist organization Daesh.
I hope from all our friends, companions, and the media in our axis, if they accept from me, to call it the Wahhabi terrorist organization. Because what Daesh is doing is the result of this school of thought that accuses the other of being an infidel. One can accuse the other of being an infidel, but he does not spill one’s blood and take his money and honor. A doctrinal disagreement, a certain person says that so-and-so is an infidel and does not believe in a specific cause. But what is more dangerous than takfir [accusing another Muslim to be an apostate] is spilling blood and taking someone else’s money, honor, and social public safety. It is this school of thought that led to these results throughout the world, especially in our Arab and Islamic world.
The one who also bears the responsibility is America. Before the Americans left Afghanistan and on more than one occasion, I mentioned to you in the media and in speeches that we and others have information that the Americans are moving Daesh from the east of the Euphrates and from the Al-Hol camp. They even transferred some from Iraq to Afghanistan. At that time, many were wondering what the Americans wanted from Daesh in Afghanistan? Of course, at the time, even when they transferred them to Afghanistan, Daesh did not carry out a single operation against the American forces there. Rather, they fought those who were fighting the Americans, including the Taliban. But today, the goal has appeared more, to be sure.
I am an enemy of the Americans and I am accusing them. A few days ago, Turkey’s foreign minister, who is an ally of the Americans but has a problem with them, also said that the Americans had moved Daesh from the east of the Euphrates and eastern Syria to Afghanistan. That’s the Turkish foreign minister, a country that is not a small one in the region. He is a friend of the Americans. This is well known. Why did the Americans take Daesh to Afghanistan during the year they were negotiating with the Taliban in Doha to withdraw?
They were preparing for a post-withdrawal phase. What is the post-withdrawal phase? It is preparing for a civil war in Afghanistan. They had two tools. The first tool was the Afghan state and the Afghan army, which they spent hundreds of billions of dollars on. This collapsed, but the alternative was ready, which was Daesh. Today, Daesh’s work in Afghanistan is to drag the country into a civil war. They carried out operations against non-Shiites in Jalalabad and Kabul. But targeting the mosque in Kunduz, where Shiite Muslims pray, is also to create a state of internal tension that will lead to a civil war in Afghanistan.
The Americans are responsible. The American policies, the American administration, the American army, the CIA, and all those who are working on the issue of Daesh and Afghanistan, we also hold them responsible for the innocent blood that was shed in Afghanistan. The responsibility of the current authorities – whether the world recognizes them or not – now that it is an authority that exists in Afghanistan, is to protect these citizens regardless of their affiliation to any religion or sect.
There is another matter that I must talk about from a moral standpoint, even though it has been a while since it transpired. An incident took place a while back in Palestine where a group of security services affiliated to the Palestinian Authority arrested, beat, and tortured martyr Nizar Banat, a Palestinian brother, a resistance fighter, and a thinker who had brave and courageous positions, which led to his martyrdom.
Of course, one may ask why are you talking about this now and that this story is old? At that time, although we saw that all the Palestinian factions took a position, we preferred to wait because the issue was not very clear, and we considered that it could be an internal affair. But today, it is my duty to pay tribute, even for a few minutes, to this resistant martyr, mujahid, thinker, and bold, brave, and oppressed martyr Nizar Banat. I am one of the people who during the previous period – I mean during his life and not after his martyrdom – I usually and for security reasons do not have internet, but every once in a while, the young men give me recorded summaries, I listen and watch what this person said, how he spoke, and how he expressed a position?
At various times, I listened and gave time to Brother Nizar. I was very impressed by his clarity, his pure thought on the issue of resistance, the issue of “Israel”, the issue of the situation in the region, the position on the axis of resistance, the conflicts in the region, and targeting the axis of resistance. I was amazed by his courage – he lives in the West Bank and it is possible that he might be attacked, arrested, or killed at any moment. Of course, I had in mind that the “Israelis” would kill him and not anyone from the PA. In fact, I would like to say a couple of words first to shed light on this bold, courageous, clear, authentic, and strong figure as well as his position on the issue of resistance, the Palestinian cause. He had courage until his martyrdom. Secondly, as this is the first time I am talking about the subject, we share with honorable family, all his family members, his loved ones, his friends, and his companions the pain and the unending grief. I know that to them this matter has not ended.
The third point is to demand justice and truth from the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian judiciary, and all the Palestinian people for martyr Nizar must. Time will not stop this, and this blood must not be wasted just because those who have wronged him or committed crimes against him belong to a certain security apparatus. This is regarding martyr Nizar. I wanted to talk about him.
I said at the beginning of the speech that in a few days we will have a great and very dear occasion, which is the anniversary of the birth of the greatest Messenger of God. Of course, celebrations and commemorations take place in different regions of the Islamic world. But in the past years, what must also be noted with admiration and pride is how the dear and oppressed Yemeni people are commemorating this occasion. We are talking about the areas under the control of what they call the Sana’a government, meaning in the areas where Ansarullah is present. Huge crowds gather in all governorates and cities at the same time.
The whole world saw how they’ve been commemorating the birth of the Messenger of God Muhammad during the past two years despite the war, destruction, difficult economic conditions, difficult living conditions, rampant diseases, great dangers, and siege. But it is really amazing the way they commemorate this occasion, and as a Muslim, I tell you that I feel ashamed. Despite the circumstances and situation, these people mark the occasion in such a way, while we, the rest of the Muslims in different parts of the world, how do we commemorate this anniversary even though our circumstances are much better than theirs, even if there are some difficulties.
First, salutations to the dear and oppressed Yemeni people, who love and adore the Messenger of God, for what they will do during the next few days.
I consider the way the Yemenis mark [this occasion] as an argument for all of us as Muslims in the Islamic world.
In the past few years, we used to hold celebrations. It is possible that during the last two years, we’ve eased down on celebrations a little because of the coronavirus. This year, we want to hold a decent and respectful celebration. That is why starting from now I invite the lovers of the Messenger of God to make the marking and celebration of this year’s occasion appropriate and to the level of their love, adoration, and loyalty to the Messenger of God.
May God give you wellness. We’ll talk about the rest later, God willing, if God keeps us alive. May God’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
The United States of America calls on the Gulf states to restore relations with Lebanon. The spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, says that an effective dialogue must be initiated with Beirut.
The spokesperson for the US State Department Ned Price
The US called on the Gulf states to revive relations with Lebanon, saying that the struggling nation needed international support. The comments came in the wake of the crisis that Gulf countries maintained that were sparked by old remarks of the Lebanese Information Minister’s George Kordahi.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, “Our position is that diplomatic channels should remain open if we are to seek to improve the humanitarian conditions of the Lebanese people.”
Blinken: the US will aid Mikati’s efforts to restore political stability
Yesterday, on the sidelines of the UN climate meeting in Glasgow, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Blinken stated that the US would assist Lebanon in its efforts to recover from a historic economic catastrophe, as well as aiding Mikati’s efforts to restore political stability after a more than one-year power vacuum.
Yesterday as well, France called on the regional parties and officials in Lebanon to calm and initiate a dialogue, stressing the need to distance Beirut from crises in the region.
The Begining of the Crisis
The crisis began last week when Saudi Arabia summoned its ambassador in Lebanon for consultations Friday, while it requested the ambassador of Lebanon to leave the kingdom within 48 hours and decided to stop all Lebanese imports to the kingdom.
حكومة المملكة تستدعي السفير في لبنان للتشاور، ومغادرة سفير لبنان لدى المملكة خلال الـ (48) ساعة القادمة، وتقرر وقف كافة الواردات اللبنانية إلى المملكة.https://t.co/UHdiGG5Cm4#واس_عام— واس العام (@SPAregions) October 29, 2021
Following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait asked the Lebanese ambassador to leave their territories within 48 hours. In turn, the UAE recalled its diplomats from Lebanon and issued a travel ban for its citizens to the Country.
What did Kordahi state?
Lebanese Minister of Information George Kordahi described the Yemen war as “futile,” adding that “Ansar Allah group has been defending itself in the face of external aggression against Yemen for years,” which provoked international and local reactions.
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem asserted that Saudi Arabia is disturbed because it couldn’t dominate the political decision in Lebanon despite the cash it had spent on its allies in Lebanon, pointing out that Saudi Arabia couldn’t put up with its casualties in the region, so its aggression on Lebanon was just a reaction, and that is one of the reasons behind the current crisis in Lebanon.
Sheikh Qassem asserted that the timing of the Saudi aggression on Lebanon is linked to Marib and Riyadh’s terrible loss in Yemen, so that it’s trying to divert attention from the battles there by exercising pressure on Lebanon.
The Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General said that Riyadh should apologize for its unjustified aggression on Lebanon, noting that the kingdom is not doing the right thing because nobody can twist the arm of Hezbollah and the Lebanese people.
“Lebanon is not a scapegoat and it’s challenging Saudi Arabia as an independent country. We won’t accept Saudi Arabia’s interference in the government after all the achievements it has accomplished,” Sheikh Qassem added.
His Eminence also said, “We will not surrender or give up on our dignity to please Saudi Arabia, even if it had practiced aggression on us, and we don’t hold responsibility for anything that happened”, pointing out that “Saudi Arabia might continue its aggression against Lebanon, as it doesn’t have any disciplines. It wants to take revenge, and it has to apologize. If it wants to continue its aggression, it will have more casualties.”
Regarding the Tayouneh Massacre, Sheikh Qassem said that “the US couldn’t achieve its goals in Lebanon despite all its attempts, and it had tried with all the possible means to turn the Lebanese public on Hezbollah but it couldn’t make it.”
He asserted that the discord that was sought in Tayyouneh massacre is an American-Saudi act executed by the Lebanese Forces party, but Hezbollah and Amal Movement have aborted it for the sake of Lebanon, pointing out that the Lebanese Forces is the sole party that receives allocations from Saudi Arabia, and the Americans have tried to integrate the Lebanese Forces members into the “NGO” groups to enhance their image.
Sheikh Qassem also talked about the maritime borders, saying that the Lebanese government is the one who says where our borders are, and Hezbollah doesn’t interfere in that, adding that “we are waiting for the government to finish the demarcation process and the disputed areas.”
He also stressed that “If the government says that the “Israeli” enemy is assaulting a disputed area, we, as a resistance, will do our duty.”
Regarding the relationship with Syria, Sheikh Qassem noted that the relationship between Hezbollah and Syria is very good, especially with Bashar al-Assad as a president, and the relations with the Syrian Arab Army is very good as well, adding that such relations are unshakable, and that there is a high level of coordination on the mutual ties.
He said that the Hezbollah-Syrian relationship is one that became deep by blood, resistance, and liberation, and that such relationship was never this good in any past period.
His Eminence also said that “many of our Resistance fighters have come back to Lebanon, and the number of fighters that stayed there is related to the situation on the ground”, asserting that “we are ready for any larger or lower presence there depending on the developments.”
تكاد تكون معركة مأرب في حرب اليمن وتوازنات الإقليم شبيهة بمعركة حلب في الحرب السورية والتوازنات الإقليمية، فكما شكلت حلب نقطة الانطلاق لمسار ثابت في الحرب السورية تدحرجت بعده الانتصارات لصالح فريق واحد هو الدولة السورية مدعومة من حلفائها، من حلب إلى ريفي حمص وحماة والبادية وتدمر وصولاً إلى دير الزور وعودة إلى الغوطة وانتهاء بجنوب سورية، تشكل معركة مأرب المفتاح لمسار ستتدحرج بعده محافظات ومدن اليمن لتعود بين يدي الجيش واللجان وأنصار الله، ما لم تكن هناك تسوية مغرية ترضي أنصار الله وتغنيهم عن مواصلة خوض المعارك.
تشكل مأرب أهم مدن اليمن جغرافياً مع أنها ليست العاصمة الأولى ولا العاصمة الثانية، لكنها نقطة الوصل والربط بين محافظات اليمن في الشمال والجنوب، ويشكل الفشل في الاحتفاظ بها بالنسبة لفريق منصور هادي وحكومته والتحالف العربي الذي تقوده السعودية، يعني استحالة القدرة في الدفاع عن سواها، ونجاح الجيش واللجان والأنصار في حسم معركة مأرب يعني قدرتهم على حسم سواها من المعارك.
حسم اتجاه حرب اليمن لصالح أنصار الله في الجغرافيا اليمنية، بعدما حسمت الطائرات المسيرة والصواريخ البالستية السيطرة النارية لليمن على أمن الطاقة والملاحة التجارية في الخليج، وتأثيرها الحيوي والفعال على أمن المنشآت الحيوية لدول الخليج، يعني أن وضعاً إقليمياً جديداً سيتشكل مع حسم مأرب عنوانها صعود قوة أنصار الله كلاعب إقليمي كبير، بمثل ما كانت حرب تموز ومن بعدها الحرب في سورية بالنسبة لصعود قوة حزب الله.
بقدر ما تشكل الضغوط السعودية على لبنان محاولة لوقف مسار مأرب التصاعدي، سيشكل حسم مأرب مدخلاً لتغير الأوضاع في أكثر من ساحة اشتباك ومنها لبنان.
The Head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, His Eminence Sayyed Hashem Safieddine said the diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia is rooted in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman [MBS]’s “fear” of the liberation of the Yemeni strategic city of Marib as Beirut supports Yemenis fighting the Saudi war.
Sayyed Safieddine noted in a statement that it is not “reasonable” to think that the diplomatic crisis is related to remarks made by the Lebanese information minister “it is rather greater than that.”
“What is happening in Saudi Arabia is a major thing, as the Saudis and the Gulf [countries] in general, who have followed the path of forming relations with ‘Israel’, cannot bear a voice from Lebanon and others who will criticize them in the future over the Saudi-‘Israeli’ relations, which will be made public in the coming days,” he added.
The senior Hezbollah official further underlined that the Saudi Crown Prince lives in a state of “dilemma and anxiety” and will have to face an excessive situation after the fall of Marib, emphasizing that MBS is fearful of losing all his illusions.
Sayyed Safieddine warned that all those who work to interrupt the Lebanese government, undermine the country’s stability, and mount US and Saudi sanctions to destroy Lebanon, highlighting Hezbollah’s sacrifices “in order not to lead our country to internal clashes, and for this, we [have striven to] resolve the economic and internal problems of the Lebanese people.”
His Eminence emphasized that those who are pushing to fabricate security, diplomatic and political crises in Lebanon are the ones that are working to sabotage the country.
He said that the future of Lebanon is not in the hands of the Saudis “but in the hands of God and thanks to those who sacrificed for the dignity of the country.”
Saudi Arabia will not tolerate any criticism in the future, especially after its relations with the ‘Israeli’ regime will be public in the coming days, the Hezbollah official added.
The Saudi-Lebanon row began after current Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi said during a television program that was recorded before Kordahi became minister, but was aired last Monday, that the 2015-present Saudi Arabia-led war on Yemen was an act of aggression by Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates [UAE], the kingdom’s most significant ally in the military campaign.
Kordahi called the war “absurd,” saying it had to stop because he was opposed to wars between Arabs. The minister also said the Yemeni army forces and their allied fighters from the Popular Committees were “defending themselves … against an external aggression.”
The Saudi kingdom subsequently recalled its ambassador from Beirut and expelled the Lebanese envoy from the Saudi capital.
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 
