WASHINGTON — As Israel’s sabotage and military operations in Lebanon oust many Hezbollah leaders, some in Washington and other parts of the region are seeking to de-escalate Lebanon’s political deadlock in an effort to de-escalate the escalating war. I think there may be an opportunity for new promotion to overcome this problem.
To this end, Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed with Saudi, Qatari and French officials how the draft resolution, in particular the election of Lebanon’s new president, would reduce tensions in the Middle East by directing Hezbollah to move troops away from Israeli forces. We discussed how we could ease the situation. the northern border to the line established by the United Nations Security Council resolution ending the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“It’s clear that the Lebanese people have an interest and a strong interest in their nation asserting itself and taking responsibility for its country and its future,” Blinken told reporters in Laos on Friday. . And for the Lebanese people, the existence of a head of state is extremely important. ”
He said Lebanon’s future will be determined by the Lebanese people and not anyone else, including “external actors, whether it is the United States, Israel or any of the many actors in the region.”
The United States and others have been seeking an end to Lebanon’s political deadlock for years to no avail. The country’s sectarian power-sharing system is always prone to gridlock. The United States blames Iran-backed Hezbollah’s resistance to compromise for the two-year presidential vacuum. Hezbollah is considered a legitimate political party in Lebanon and has been part of the government for nearly two decades, despite being designated a terrorist organization by Lebanon. USA, Israel etc.
After former President Michel Aoun’s term ends in October 2022, Lebanon’s deeply divided parliament has met several times to choose a successor, but each time has failed. Hezbollah is backing Suleiman Franjieh, a Christian politician allied with Shiite groups, for the post.
Opponents have put forward a series of names, but the one widely seen as Mr. Frangier’s main competitor is the Lebanese military commander, who has not officially declared his candidacy but is generally seen as close to the United States. General Joseph Aoun.
Meanwhile, three-quarters of the population has fallen into poverty due to worsening political paralysis and stalled measures to alleviate a devastating economic crisis.
But U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administration’s current thinking, said there may be room to move after the recent decline of extremist groups at the hands of Israel.
This view is not widely shared in Washington, with some officials saying Hezbollah is too deeply entrenched in Lebanon’s political, military, and civil and social services to eradicate its influence. claims. But officials say even skeptics are willing to give it a try.
Blinken said Friday in Laos that he had had multiple discussions about the situation. He is also scheduled to attend an international conference on Lebanon hosted by France later this month, U.S. officials said.
“What I take away from these conversations is that not only on the part of the many countries concerned about Lebanon, but especially on the part of the Lebanese themselves, who want the country to stand up and assert itself and take responsibility for the lives of its people. “It’s a strong desire for the people to see it for themselves,” he said.
Mr. Blinken spoke about the issue earlier this week with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Thani, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdullatti, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault.
The State Department issued a similar statement, saying that Blinken was working with his Saudi and Qatari counterparts to “implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 in Lebanon to bring home civilians on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border.” We talked about the importance.”
This UN resolution, although its provisions have not been fully enforced, was established in 2006 when Israeli forces fully withdrew from southern Lebanon after a month-long war with Hezbollah, while Lebanese forces and UN peacekeeping forces demands an exclusive military presence in the region.
The ministry said Blinken discussed with his French counterpart “the evolving situation in the Middle East and the importance of coordinated efforts toward a diplomatic resolution that would allow the return of Israeli and Lebanese nationals.”
Prime Minister Blinken, along with his Egyptian counterpart, “noted the continued support of the United States to Lebanese state institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces,” and reiterated the need for full implementation of Security Council resolutions.
Ed Gabriel, president of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a nonprofit organization that aims to strengthen ties between the United States and Lebanon, said the group is working with Lebanese military commander Aoun to “become the only fully functioning institution in Lebanon. I highly value his leadership.” ”
“I do not think it is in Lebanon’s interest for an outside party to have an opinion on the country’s sovereign right to elect Lebanon’s president,” Gabriel said. “Lebanese parliamentarians now have the chance to convene and elect a clean, competent and reform-minded president who can form a government that will guide Lebanon at a dangerous but critical stage.”
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Associated Press writer Abby Sewell contributed from Beirut, Lebanon.
