An American warning against electing Basil as president, in light of the sanctions’ inclusion
Yesterday (Wednesday), the Israeli government issued its initial approval for the demarcation of the maritime border with Lebanon. It was decided to submit the agreement to Parliament to study its provisions, with the government returning and ratifying it definitively within two weeks. Prime Minister Yair Lapid called on opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu to brief him on the content of the agreement and what surrounds it behind the scenes.
A first decision was issued in the High Court of Justice, where the judges rejected a lawsuit demanding the rejection of the agreement. The agreement was also supported by all ministers in the cabinet except for the interior minister, Ayelet Shaked, who abstained from voting. The third decision came at the meeting of the full body of government, where the principles of the agreement were approved by an overwhelming majority.
Meanwhile, former US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker said that the Lebanese should not read President Joe Biden’s call with President Michel Aoun as a retreat from the United States on its support for holding the elections without delay. Schenker added to Asharq Al-Awsat that “Aoun is currently the president of Lebanon, and that is why Biden called him to congratulate him on the border demarcation agreement.” But Schenker warned of the repercussions of the election of the current president’s son-in-law, Gebran Bassil, to the presidency, pointing to the US sanctions against him on corruption charges. He said, “There will be repercussions for choosing a president accused of corruption, and he is even seen as one of the most prominent corrupt in Lebanon.”
Schenker, who was responsible for the negotiating file during the era of former President Donald Trump, explained that Lebanon’s current conditions led to Hezbollah’s retreat from its obstruction of the border demarcation agreement. He pointed out that Israel views the agreement positively, because it led to “(Hezbollah) and its allies’ approval of a document that publicly mentions Israel.”
… More
… More