(Credit: @DrSamirGeagea/X)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai that UNSC Resolution 1701 has "nothing to do with the Shebaa farms but rather with the cessation of hostilities" between Lebanon and Israel and the "withdrawal of all illegal military organizations from southern Lebanon," according to a report published on Sunday.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily fighting along the Lebanese-Israeli border since Oct. 8, one day after the beginning of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza.
The Lebanese Forces is a Christian-based political party that is strongly opposed to Hezbollah. Geagea has been gradually escalating his criticism of Hezbollah's operations against Israel and has called lately for the Lebanese army to fully take charge of the Lebanese southern borders. Geagea's comments were published one day before the arrival of US envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut. Over the past few months, Hochstein has been engaged in talks with Lebanon and Israel to calm the situation between the two countries.
Resolution 1701 and the Shebaa farms
Resolution 1701, reached between Israel and Lebanon in 2006 amid the July war, gave explicit power to UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army to operate and maintain peace along what is known as the Blue Line, which demarcates the line separating Lebanon from Israel. It also calls for Hezbollah to be kept away from the border in exchange for Israel respecting Lebanese sovereignty.
The Shebaa Farms is located at the intersection of the Lebanese–Syrian border and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The international community considers the Shebaa Farms to be Syrian and occupied by Israel since 1967. However, the Lebanese government and Hezbollah consider the area as occupied Lebanese territory. Beirut and Hezbollah have been calling for an Israeli withdrawal from the Shebaa Farms and 13 disputed points on the southern border.
"Resolution 1701 has nothing to do with Shebaa Farms or anything else, the issue of the farms could be easily resolved by convincing the Syrian regime to sign a joint document with the Lebanese government [that claims that the Shebaa farms is Lebanese]," Geagea told al-Rai from the Lebanese Forces' headquarters in Meerab, Kesserwan.
"Most importantly, Resolution 1701 does not address the Shebaa Farms, but rather has to do with the cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of all illegal military organizations from southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army replacing them with the support of UNIFIL," he continued.
Risk of war in Lebanon
Al-Rai also asked Geagea if he thinks Israel will launch a war against Lebanon.
"I think that the situation in the region, from the Red Sea to southern Lebanon, has become more serious and dangerous," he answered. "Therefore, in my opinion, the Israelis mean what they say regarding the front in southern Lebanon. Hence, Hezbollah must take into account the new realities that arose after Oct. 7 and to act based on [these news realities.] Otherwise Hezbollah could take itself, the South and the Lebanese to hell if it continues to believe that the game is still the same."
Israeli officials have been saying that the inhabitants of northern Israel, who fled their homes following Hezbollah's attacks, will return to their homes through diplomatic or military means.
"We do not accept that Lebanon enters a major war for the sake of Iran’s policies in the region," Geagea said.
"If the Lebanese army is deployed in the south with the support of all countries of the world, wouldn’t that be a greater protection for Lebanon and an avoidance of any scenario that would lead us to hell?"
He also said that Hezbollah relies on the fact that the Americans do not want to see an expansion of the war and therefore, the party is "continuing with its current adventure."
Lebanese presidency
Geagea also made comments about the Lebanese presidency. Lebanon has been without a president since the end of former President Michel Aoun's term at the end of Oct. 2022.
The Group of Five countries (France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US and Egypt) have been trying to find a solution to this crisis without success so far. Hezbollah and the Amal Movement back Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, while the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb, Forces of Change and independents back International Monetary Fund official Jihad Azour.
Lately, the National Moderation parliamentary group — composed mainly of former members of the Future Movement — has launched an initiative, which has the support of the quintet. The group proposes holding parliamentary consultations, which should lead to a call for open presidential electoral sessions.
"For the first time, I feel among the quintet that there is talk about holding responsibility those who obstruct [the presidential elections] and perhaps the National Moderation's initiative is in this context," Geagea said.
"Hence, in my opinion, [Hezbollah and its allies are] stuck in [their] position regarding the initiative, which at a minimum will reveal [their] true intentions," he added.
The Lebanese Forces leader has been accusing Hezbollah of blocking the presidential elections through the latter's insistence on electing Frangieh.
"What the group [of five] is doing is urging an end to the presidential vacancy, considering that what the region is witnessing should constitute an additional incentive to speed up the completion of the presidential elections."