Mukhtars of Shebaa surprised by 'some people giving up land they do not own'

BEIRUT — The mukhtars of Shebaa expressed their astonishment at "the positions of some politicians and analysts who, from time to time, generously speak of relinquishing or giving up our land, the land of our forefathers and their forefathers, in the Shebaa Farms," in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA) Friday,

The mukhtars condemned "the repeated expression of such positions," affirming that "the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese through and through, passed down from father to son, and do not need anyone’s validation. All documents, records, and facts confirm this right since the establishment and existence of Lebanon."

This comes after controversy rose when Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) ex-leader Walid Joumblatt affirmed last week that the Israeli occupied Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills are Syrian territory, not Lebanese.

The mukhtars called on the three presidents (of the Republic, Parliament, and Government) and officials at all levels to "take a clear and firm stance on this national issue," affirming their "support for the efforts of all individuals and figures from Shebaa and the Arqoub region who have worked, and continue to work since the 1980s, to defend and reclaim this land."

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The Druze leader’s statement prompted reactions, including from MP Kassem Hashem, member of the Amal parliamentary bloc, and Mohammad Hamdan, head of the Arqoub Sons Association, who both rejected Joumblatt’s position and reaffirmed the Lebanese identity of the disputed lands.

In a press conference last Thursday Joumblatt had said that "the [Israeli occupied] Shebaa Farms were and will remain Syrian and fall under U.N. Resolution 242."

The mukhtars stressed that they "will not accept any compromise or concession over even an inch of the land of their parents and ancestors, especially since there are no owners of this land other than the people of Shebaa."

The statement was signed by the mukhtars: Mohammad Ali Hashem, Ibrahim Mohammad Nabaa, Hassan Ali Zahra, Ziad Ghaleb Rahil, Mohammad Qassem Nabaa, Mohammad Khalil Saeb, Jamal Khalil Markiz, Ibrahim Riyad Youssef, Afif Qassem Saeb, Maher Qassem Ghader, and Mohammad Ahmad Al-Khatib.

According to several experts, the status of Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills remains disputed, with many arguing that these territories are more likely Syrian than Lebanese. Opponents of Hezbollah view this claim as a pretext for the group to maintain its weapons, justifying the need to continue resistance until the full liberation of Lebanese territory from Israeli occupation is achieved.

The Shebaa Farms controversy takes place as the Israeli army continues to occupy five points in southern Lebanon and violates the cease-fire reached on Nov.27 on an almost daily basis. The latest conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas's operation in Israel that led Gaza into a spiral of violence.