In a decision that could have diplomatic repercussions, Lebanon’s new government has agreed to a compromise policy statement giving all Lebanese citizens the irrefutable right to resist Israeli attacks and attempts to violate their sovereignty.
The language in the policy statement came after weeks of bitter dispute between the March 8th Alliance and March 14th Alliance (respectively Hezbollah and Christian General Aoun versus political opponents former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Sunni-led party and Christian right-wingers) that Haaretz says “brought the government to the verge of collapse”.
Haaretz reports the policy statement “falls short of explicitly enshrining Hezbollah’s role in confronting Israel”, but the message is clear; ‘citizens’, not just the army, should be allowed to be armed for the sake of resisting external hostilities.
Lebanon ‘affirms right’ of citizens to resist Israel :
“Based on the state’s responsibility to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the security of its citizens, the government affirms the duty of the state and its efforts to liberate the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills and the Lebanese part of Ghajar through all legitimate means,” the government statement said.
It also “affirms the right of Lebanese citizens to resist Israeli occupation and repel aggressions and recover occupied territory”.
Agreement on the declaration paves the way for Salam to put his government to a vote of confidence, almost exactly a year after he was first asked to try to put together a cabinet following the resignation of his predecessor, Najib Mikati.
The decision comes one day after rounds of Israeli artillery were fired into southern Lebanon, in an attack Israel says was retaliatory, stating they targeted “Hezbollah terror infrastructure” following a bombing on the border between the two countries.
Reportedly the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has claimed responsibility for the blast but an Israeli spokesperson said the bombing had a “suspected Hezbollah connection”.
It’s been a busy week for Israel. Bombing Gaza in the south, relations with Jordan hitting rock bottom after the assassination of one of their judges on border, and now this skirmish with Lebanon. And all coming down during the final stages of the “framework agreement”, whose promise of continued negotiations become slimmer by the minute. Last week, even John Kerry “expressed skepticism that Israel and the Palestinians would even be able to agree on a framework.”
Meanwhile, hostilities continue.
Naharnet, Israelis Fire at ‘Suspects’ Near Border with Lebanon :
Israeli soldiers opened fire Saturday at “suspects” who approached the border with Lebanon, a military spokeswoman said.
“A certain number of suspects approached the Israel-Lebanon border. Soldiers fired in the air to warn them away, and they moved off,” she said.
No one was injured, she added.
An Agence France Presse correspondent in northern Israel said the “suspects” were apparently shepherds who approached the border by mistake.
Media said the incident happened near the village of Ghajar, not far from the disputed Shebaa Farms area.
All I can say is..
It’s fair in the face of state sanctioned aggression practiced by Israel and supported by the US.
I’m reminded of that saying: “what goes around, comes around.” Israel has demonstrated over and over and over again that they have NO interest in peace with their neighbors. NONE.
The complicity of the US in Israel’s crimes does not leave us inviolable, either.
Good.
And good catch annie.
Annie, I am afraid you missing the real context here. In practice this is clearly a meaningless move – after all Hezbollah had just as a free hand in its fighting with Israel, with or without a formal permission from the Lebanese state, because they are the most powerful and most armed group there.
This essentially propaganda move is aimed to distract attention from an on-the-ground dramatic shift: Hezbollah, in the recent year, has actually changes warring arenas. At the behest of the Iranians (whose requests they cannot ignore even if it wanted to because they are the paymasters) it is now fully engaged in the war in Syria and in that they are in effect, in unintentional way, also doing Israel`s bidding, which is just as worried as they are from Al Queida gaining power in Syria. This is an amazing strategic shift that has been lost on many and consequently Israel will not want to harm Hezbollah as long as the war in Syria goes no (which is seemingly forever) – apart perhaps from active blocking of the transfer of long-range missiles to Lebanon, which serves no purpose in the fight in Syria and is just a threat to Israel. Now who would have predicted this development? Things are that volatile in the Mid-East.
ivri–“I am afraid you missing the real context here. In practice this is clearly a meaningless move”
This is “meaningful”. Enough is enough. Nobody in the region trusts or believes Israel anymore. Israel, through its ugly and egregious actions, has worn out everyones’ patience. Tell your fellow citizens to wake up and smell the coffee.
I read this article in Haaretz this morning. Thanks to Annie, it is here now.
The draft of the statement was bitterly fought and contested by the 14th March movement (Hariri clan and associates). In case you do not know, the US lackeys in Lebanon.