GBC News: The head of the Israeli intelligence service, “Mossad”, David Barnea, said today, Wednesday, that the agreement on demarcating the maritime border with Lebanon “harms Hezbollah,” according to what was quoted by the “Jerusalem Post” newspaper.
Barnea said that Hezbollah does not prefer the agreement because it constitutes de facto recognition by the Lebanese state of Israel, which the group opposes.
The newspaper also quoted the chiefs of intelligence and the chief of staff in Israel as saying that “those who claim that the maritime border agreement is an achievement for Hezbollah does not understand the situation in Lebanon.”
In this context, Barnea added that Hezbollah began dealing with the issue of the maritime border agreement in a serious manner only last May, when it realized that public opinion in Lebanon supported the agreement.
The newspaper quoted Barnea as saying that “Hezbollah did not want an agreement with Israel, but it realized that in light of the internal political crisis in Lebanon, it has an opportunity to gain points in public opinion.”
In the same context, Israeli National Security Adviser Eyal Holata said in a press briefing today that “the agreement will stabilize the security situation in the face of Lebanon, and it is the first political settlement towards Lebanon in 40 years.”
He pointed out that “the agreement will remove the threat from the Kreish platform, and allow calm and the absence of more allegations related to the maritime borders,” adding that “there is an Israeli security interest in strengthening the state of Lebanon because it weakens Hezbollah.”
This comes while the Israeli government approved, today, Wednesday, by a large majority, the principles of the agreement demarcating the maritime borders with Lebanon, which was reached between the two countries with American mediation, to be submitted to the Knesset for final approval, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office.
“Members of the government expressed their support for the importance of the maritime agreement with Lebanon, and for the necessity of reaching it during this period,” the statement said.
He added, “They also agreed to the Prime Minister’s proposal to present it to the Knesset,” noting that “the competent authorities reviewed during the government session the principles of the agreement and its impact on strengthening national security and regional stability,” and “the agreement and the explanatory notes related to it” will be presented to the Knesset.
“The agreement and the explanatory notes relating to it will be presented this evening in the Knesset, and all the deputies will be informed of them.” After 14 days, “the agreement is submitted to the government for approval.”
In turn, the Undersecretary of the Israeli Energy Ministry announced, “We will contract with Total on our share in the Qana field before the final ratification of the delimitation agreement.”
In turn, the Lebanese Energy Minister said that preparations for gas exploration will take several months once the maritime agreement enters into force.
In turn, the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, told Al-Jazeera that the maritime border demarcation agreement came late, and what happened was the best possible.
He added that the demarcation of the borders came as a result of American and European interests that met with the interests of Lebanon and Israel.
And he indicated that Hezbollah’s intervention contributed to delaying the agreement, and what he describes as the deterrence equation is for domestic consumption.
In turn, the head of the Israeli National Security Council said that the agreement on the demarcation of the water borders is not compatible with Iran’s interests in Lebanon.
He added that there is an absolute security interest for Israel in the agreement demarcating the water borders with Lebanon.
He indicated that Israel relinquished 10 kilometers of its territorial waters within the framework of the agreement with Lebanon.
He noted that the agreement reduces the Lebanese government’s attachment to Hezbollah.
Arabic + Al Jazeera
