Conspiracy behind Lebanon-Israel deal
By Delaram Ahmadi
Staff writer
Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace accord between Israel and the Lebanese government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the agreement as a “major achievement,” but Hezbollah has firmly rejected it. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem explicitly described the deal as “null” and humiliating, arguing that it reflects Lebanon’s surrender of its sovereignty. Meanwhile, Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah lawmaker, warned that the Lebanese government would be unable to implement the agreement unless it accepted the prospect of civil war with US backing. In an interview with Iran Daily, Middle East affairs expert Hassan Hanizadeh discussed argued that the deal is the product of a domestic, regional and international conspiracy and poses a serious threat to Lebanon’s national security.
IRAN DAILY: What impact will the recent Lebanon-Israel understanding, brokered by the United States, have on the balance of power between the Lebanese government, Hezbollah and external actors? Can it be viewed as a step toward limiting Hezbollah’s role?
HANIZADEH: In practice, the memorandum of understanding signed between Lebanon and the Israeli regime in Washington under US supervision was concluded with several objectives in mind. The first is an attempt to disarm Hezbollah. The second is to create tensions and conflict between Hezbollah and Lebanon’s existing political factions. Ultimately, the goal is to empty southern Lebanon of its residents. Since the majority of the population in southern Lebanon belongs to a particular religious community, specifically Lebanon’s Shiite community, the intention is for southern Lebanon to remain a depopulated zone.
For this reason, the agreement is entirely imposed and is the result of a domestic, regional and international conspiracy. The disarmament of Hezbollah and restrictions on its presence in southern Lebanon could effectively turn Lebanon into a playground for incursions by the Israeli military.
Even after the agreement was signed, Israel has repeatedly attacked residents of southern Lebanon and forced them from their homes.
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