Lebanon isn’t serious about implementing the UNSC Resolution 1701 method, which put an end to 14 weeks of conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Before the ceasefire, the Lebanese Armed Forces ( LAF ) watched Hezbollah hollow out 1701. The defense justified its lethargy by blaming the executive branch for failing to issue commands. LAF continued to move its feet after the caretaker government of Lebanon’s approved the deal, for no apparent reason other than the political passions of its leader, presidential cheerful Joseph Aoun.
Amos Hochstein, the US minister to Beirut, is scheduled to visit on Monday to discuss how Lebanon has failed to meet the deadlines set by the ceasefire plan.
Hezbollah appears to have a new strategy right then. The Iran-backed army has instructed caregiver Prime Minister Najib Mikati to assume Lebanon has fulfilled its obligations under the terms of the agreement and that it is now the Hebrew state’s responsibility to put an end to its “violations” and ratchet up its withdrawal from Palestinian territory.
Israel did exactly what Mikati called violations by dramatic Hezbollah’s mobilisation shipments, which Lebanon had agreed to. Additionally, the agreement foretold that the Israeli military did maintain its ability to recapture five miles of Palestinian territory as long as Hezbollah kept its hold on it. When the LAF disarmed and neutralized Hezbollah, Israel promised to return the no-man’s property.
From the piece of Palestinian territory that Israel settings, the Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) dug up Hezbollah hands stockpiles, confiscating 85, 000 products, including missiles, rockets and launchers, enough to equip a mid-size troops.
However, Mikati and Aoun visited the southern area of Marjaayoun, signaling that the position had presently restored its sovereignty north of River Litani. However, the Palestinian state and its army have not yet demonstrated a second bullet that Hezbollah was given.
The Syrian troops detained narcotics trade and minor criminal rings in contrast to the IDF. The LAF posted photos of the hands that it had confiscated, not enough to subject a town army.
The LAF went further by referring to Israel as an attacker that was causing the LAF to send troops to contain the Jewish “aggression on Lebanon” in its social media posts.
The LAF has not yet recovered a solitary Hezbollah arms station, despite a five-week promise from Lebanon to maintain the 1701 mechanism. On the orders of a pro-Hezbollah judge, yet a busload of violent drones that Palestinian civilians had wrestled from Hezbollah’s fighters during the battle and handed over to Syrian authorities were released back to the Iran-backed army.
The army continued with its work of modernisation by forcing the Army to reach Hezbollah assets on more than one event as a result of the state of Lebanon and its military failing to find a second Hezbollah weapon. If Lebanon did not fully destroy the Iran-backed army as agreed upon in the peace agreement, Israel warned that war might start.
There are many reasons why Lebanon is unable to subdue Hezbollah.
First, Aoun and other political candidates have political ambitions. Election requires two thirds of politicians, and that is difficult without the Hezbollah-led political union.
Second is Hezbollah’s abuse of Palestinian officials and the general populace. Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah’s dangerous tsar of Syrian domestic affairs, emerged as the only victim from the army’s best echelons. Safa had a reputation for yelling at his foes and bending wings. His appearance is still felt.
Third is the absolute stupidity of Hezbollah’s competitors. Even though the legislature has a solid alliance of 31 ( out of 128 politicians ) that calls for the army’s peace, the criticism has failed to expand its rates or to cause any serious political risk to Safa or his army.
Fourth is that international capitals are unable to come to a consensus on a coherent strategy. These capitals also disagree on who ought to be elected president. France has contracts worth$ 30 billion with Iran, which it hopes will be renewed, and has thus emerged as a Hezbollah ally.
America’s “de-escalation” band-aid policy, under which it has endorsed the appeasing Aoun as its candidate for president, has undermined Saudi Arabia’s support for Lebanese Forces Party chief Samir Geagea, the most serious anti-militia candidate and one who has survived a Hezbollah attempt on his life.
Lebanon has yet to grasp that Israel is seriously considering disarming Hezbollah and that the Jewish state is not interested in playing pretend games. Without Beirut’s understanding of this, its strategy runs the risk of rekindling the bloody and devastating war.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain works as a researcher for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies ( FDD). Follow him on X @hahussain