It is not the first time Lebanon finds itself in a predicament and an undesirable situation. Israel threatens its oil and gas resources, while the internal Lebanese situation is mired in divisions, differences, and political bidding, alongside confusion regarding the point of its exclusive maritime borders, whether at line 23 or line 29. This matter undoubtedly weakens Lebanon's position and jeopardizes its rights and resources from oil and gas, which are viewed as a last resort and with no alternative for rescuing Lebanon from its suffocating crisis. Consequently, it presents a precious opportunity for the Israeli enemy to take advantage of this turmoil and confusion to exert maximum pressure on Lebanon, attempting to impose a new reality that enables it to seize large areas of Lebanese waters and acquire Lebanon's wealth of oil and gas.
The trajectory of affairs in this file, as confirmed by responsible sources involved in the maritime demarcation file to "Al-Jomhouria," does not bode well, especially since Israel's recent deployment of a drilling ship represents a genuine and serious threat this time to steal Lebanon's oil and gas wealth in the southern waters. While Lebanon awaits the arrival of American mediator Amos Hochstein in Beirut to discuss returning to the negotiation table between the Lebanese and Israeli sides, with UN sponsorship and the presence of the American mediator, to prevent Israel from starting drilling in areas considered disputed by Lebanon, responsible sources, despite reports that Hochstein would be in Beirut in the coming days (with Sunday as a preliminary date), are not yet confident about his visit, particularly since Lebanon has not yet received any official American confirmation regarding Hochstein's attendance. This issue was discussed in a meeting yesterday between Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib and the American ambassador in Lebanon, Dorothy Shea. Some information also mentioned a diplomatic movement from Western and international entities towards official Lebanese circles, emphasizing that all parties should "exercise restraint and refrain from taking any steps that could endanger security and stability in the region."
In the same context, reliable sources revealed to "Al-Jomhouria" that "Lebanese officials were informed by international parties about messages delivered in recent hours to the Israeli side to contain the possibilities of escalation." Simultaneously with the escalating Israeli threats against Lebanon, official sources confirmed to "Al-Jomhouria" that Lebanon has legitimate rights and will not give up on these rights. Just as it will not concede an inch of its land borders, it will not concede an inch of its maritime borders either. The sources pointed out that "the Americans and Israelis know the boundaries of the disputed area, and this does not grant the Israelis the right to operate and extract oil or gas from this area. The Americans also have no right to cover Israeli operations within the disputed area. Such operations constitute a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and rights regarding its maritime wealth from oil and gas. Consequently, as long as the southern maritime borders have not been definitively demarcated, any action taken by Israel within the disputed areas will be considered an aggression against Lebanon's sovereignty and rights." This was reiterated to all concerned parties.
"Al-Jomhouria" confirmed in this context that a clear Lebanese message was conveyed to friendly international entities and those concerned with the demarcation file, stating that Lebanon attaches the utmost importance to every inch of its maritime borders. By exploiting the disputed area, Israel is committing an aggression, and Lebanon is in the position of the aggressed against, will not remain silent about its rights and sovereignty violations, and will not hesitate to defend its borders and rights, which thus means that all possibilities are on the table.
A responsible authority conveyed to "Al-Jomhouria" that "Lebanon has the opportunity to begin exploration operations regardless of the demarcation file and the disputed areas with the Israeli enemy. Lebanon is in a severe crisis, and the sea harbors a chance for salvation. On the other hand, Lebanon's rights cannot be neglected, which would cause significant harm to Lebanon and its people. Lebanon should not succumb to temptations or threats. Therefore, we call on politicians to remove the maritime file from the political bidding marketplace, and we urge officials to maintain a unified stance free from any calculations or temptations, handling this sensitive file with wisdom and nationalism. It is crucial to avoid making mistakes in assessment or calculations, as errors in this file could be fatal given its relation to the fate and rights of the country and its people."
