A Lebanese Druze with close ties to the Hezbollah terror organization says the new maritime border agreement with Israel is a step toward a “lasting peace. “
Speaking to Al-Jadeed TV, Wiam Wahhab, head of the Arab Unification Party, which is in parliament, said Israel “can no longer pay for the war” against Lebanon because of the “balance of power” created through Hezbollah and the struggle of “Palestinians from within. “
He argued that “the [Palestinian] crusade from within is greater than a crusade from outside,” meaning that Palestinian affairs deserve to be left to the Palestinians, rather than Hezbollah meddling in the conflict.
To the host’s surprise, Wahhab said, “In my opinion [in signing the agreement], we sought a lasting peace. Just kidding.
The interviewer replied, “Oof. So, to normalization,” to which Wahhab replied, “lasting peace. “
The historic maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon went into effect Thursday night after a rite at a UN base near the border, ending years of clashes over the factor and repeated sword moves through the Hezbollah terror group.
Israel and Lebanon are technically still at war and the agreement touches the land border.
After the signing of the deal on Thursday, Hezbollah said it would end its special mobilization against Israel, after threatening to strike if Jerusalem began extracting herbal fuel at the Karish drilling site before the deal was finalized. Gas extraction began in Karish on Wednesday.
Kan News reported Friday that the Israeli military had lowered its alert on the northern border.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the deal represented Israel’s de facto popularity across Lebanon.
While Lebanese President Michel Aoun rejected the claim, Lebanon’s chief negotiator spoke of “a new era” and invoked the Abraham Accords between Israel and states in the region.
The deal came here as Lebanon hopes to emerge from what the World Bank calls one of the worst economic crises in world history, and as Lapid sought to secure a major achievement, days before general elections on Nov. 1.
The agreement ends a long-standing dispute over some 860 kilometers (330 miles) of the Mediterranean Sea, which covers the fuel fields of Karish in Israel and Qana in Lebanon.
As part of the deal, Israel is gaining popularity from a border marked through a buoy it established in 2000, five kilometers (3. 1 miles) from the northern city of Rosh Hanikra.
After that, Israel’s border will adhere to the southern boundary of the disputed Line 23.
Lebanon will reap the economic benefits of the dominance north of Line 23, adding the Qana box, while Israel will continue fuel production at the Karish box and earn revenue from Qana when it starts operating.
AFP contributed to this report.
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