Israeli atmosphere in Beirut: MP Ghassan Skaf warns of impending conflict

MP Ghassan Skaf saw that the recent visit of US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut had an Israeli atmosphere, indicating that there is preparation for a military operation. 

This article was originally published in and translated from the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Anbaa.

He stated that what the Israelis are seeking is to secure the safety of settlers in northern Israel, and if this safety is not secured diplomatically and politically, it will be through military means. 

"Hochstein indicated this when he told us that the unity of arenas does not mean the unity of truces. This means not waiting for a truce in Gaza for there to be a truce on the southern front, and this is what Hezbollah wants," Skaf said.

Skaf pointed out in a statement to "Al-Anbaa" that "Lebanon must learn from the fact that we cannot remain idle and take Hochstein's threats lightly. His message conveyed that even if a truce were to occur in Gaza, you must decide because there is an Israeli determination to carry out a military operation, and as Americans, we seek to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from sliding towards war."

"Hochstein said that they hope to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and for US-Iranian negotiations not to stop, especially with the United States entering the presidential election phase, which may lead to a reduction in its intervention to prevent a comprehensive war," Skaf added.

Skaf believed that all indicators show that Israel is seeking war and that confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel and the breaking of rules of engagement could lead to serious and destructive results for Lebanon. 

He stopped at two negative indicators in the Israeli position, one of which was revealed by an Israeli newspaper that 71 percent of Israelis support a wide war with Hezbollah, and secondly, and more dangerously, is that Israelis, due to al-Aqsa Flood, have become more prepared to accept losses in an upcoming war. 

Skaf considered that the Lebanese state is handling the possibility of war escalation "lightly," describing it as a big mistake, as it is also dealing "lightly" with international envoys, including Hochstein, who seek to prevent war expansion. 

He said: "Hence, it is the responsibility of the Lebanese state to start moving international mediators to implement Resolution 1701."

Regarding Hezbollah's rejection of halting its military operations supporting Gaza before a ceasefire on it, Skaf believed that "we must stop playing with fire in the south because the situation is touching the edge of real danger, and this is indeed what the US presidential envoy conveyed to Beirut."

He added that things could spiral out of control in a moment of uncalculated madness for the insane Netanyahu after the rules of engagement have collapsed.

"I believe that Israel's theory is to practice diplomacy at the table while the field is inflamed, and Lebanon and Hezbollah's theory is negotiations on cold, meaning practicing diplomacy at the table after a ceasefire in Gaza and on the southern front, and this is what Hezbollah is seeking," Skaf continued.

Regarding Hochstein's meeting with several opposition MPs and informing them of their rejection of any settlement that allows Hezbollah to gain political gains in exchange for agreeing to calm, Skaf pointed out that what the opposition wants is not to exploit the Gaza issue or the war on the southern border to impose a president on Lebanon, as that would be equivalent to consolidating the existing division in the country. 

"We all know that historically, the presidency has been and still is the task of regional and international powers, and the task of the parliament has been limited to a symbolic election. Today, the picture has changed due to the negative balance in the parliament, so no team can impose the president, and also, the supporting countries for both teams cannot impose a president," Skaf added.

He expressed his belief that the Quintet Committee would be the witness and the moral guarantor of the presidential election session, and the result of the consultations would reach the third name, which would compete in the presidential race with the other established names. 

Skaf said: "If the third name receives more than 86 votes, we go to consensus, and if he does not, we go to the election with the existing candidates, and the small blocs, in this case, will have the biggest role in determining the winner."