At a time when discussions about forming a government have noticeably declined, two significant events have emerged on the political front. The first concerns the presidential election and the French-Saudi involvement following meetings revealed in Paris, which included Saudi Royal Court advisor Nizar Al-Aloula, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari, and French presidential advisor Ambassador Patrick Durel. This indicates Saudi Arabia's return to Lebanon through the presidential election, which aligns with France's desire to restore Saudi Arabia's supportive role in the country as it was before President Michel Aoun's term.
The other event relates to the results of American mediator Amos Hochstein’s brief visit to Lebanon and the information disclosed about Israel's agreement to grant Lebanon Line 23 and the entire Qana field in exchange for allowing Israel access to Line 1, extending 5 kilometers toward Blocks 8 and 9. Sources monitoring the political developments and the border demarcation file took note in a conversation with "Anbaa" electronic news regarding these events, viewing the first as a positive sign of Saudi Arabia’s return to Lebanon, something Lebanon continuously emphasizes.
The sources expressed hope that Saudi Arabia's involvement in the presidential election signifies a clear end to the Gulf's isolation from Lebanon in general and Saudi Arabia in particular, considering that this relationship had been tense throughout President Aoun's term, and with the end of his presidency, that isolation should also end, returning matters to their natural course.
In parallel, political sources via "Anbaa" electronic news commented on the French and Saudi insistence against electing a president from the 8 March coalition, viewing it as a positive development. They raised a question regarding the connection between the meeting called by the Grand Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Abdul-Latif Deryan for Sunni MPs and the meetings held in Paris, as well as Durel's urging to Saudi officials not to allow Sunni MPs to fragment against the 8 March nominee if they truly care about preventing any candidate from that group from succeeding.
Regarding the border demarcation file and the optimistic atmosphere being discussed, technical sources via "Anbaa" requested clear answers from the concerned parties about how Line 1, spanning 5 kilometers, begins and ends. They inquired if it is a fictitious line or one relevant to the core negotiations, if Lebanon is allowed to approach it, and what its implications are on oil and gas blocks. The sources noted that this point is ambiguous and should be handled responsibly before it becomes a tale similar to that of the Bedouin's nail.
