Awaiting what the visit of the US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut tomorrow will bring, coinciding with the start of the new US Ambassador Lisa Johnson's duties, it became clear that the resistance, in all its facets, is engaged in attempts to divert the international solution path regarding the flaring southern front.
According to diplomatic information made available for "Nidaa al-Watan," Hezbollah pleaded through intermediaries to send messages to the concerned countries working to defuse the tension in the south, indicating that there is an open window for a solution and that Hezbollah is ready to respond based on linking the implementation of Resolution 1701, which Israel insists on, with political arrangements in the Lebanese internal affairs.
On the other hand, sources following Hochstein's movements affirmed that he "does not bring anything new but rather presents ideas" as long as the party concerned with demarcation and the application of the international decision, namely Hezbollah, refuses any discussion before the end of the Gaza war.
One of the prominent diplomatic information reveals that the "marketing" of Hezbollah's messages aims to prolong the ongoing talks on the implementation of Resolution 1701, pending the end of the Gaza war, a demand recently announced by Hassan Nasrallah. This is in exchange for starting efforts to accomplish the presidential mandate and the subsequent formation of a new government.
Opposition leadership sources were able to obtain this information and stated, "Hezbollah is trying to gain time and obtain gains in the executive authority. It positions itself as a strong negotiator, prompting the opposition to initiate political mobilization to confront this development, which may lead to the establishment of an authority aligned with the resistance. Key figures in the opposition conveyed their strong rejection to the diplomatic channels concerned with Lebanon, and the Americans were informed.
The opposition's stance reached the ears of relevant diplomatic entities: "What is required today is for Hezbollah not to be in a position to impose conditions but rather in a position to comply with the implementation of Resolution 1701." The opposition warned that if Hezbollah takes control of the new power structures, international decisions will not be implemented. This is what will happen if a president is elected in line with the resistance's agenda, and then the entire state will revolve around Hezbollah.
As for the solution project that Hochstein will present tomorrow, starting with the vision for maritime demarcation from Naqoura on the coast to Shebaa Farms, according to diplomatic information, resistance intermediaries attempted to muddy the waters regarding the expected settlement for Shebaa Farms. These farms remain part of the lands occupied by Israel in the 1973 war, classified under Syrian territory according to Resolution 338. It seems that the resistance, guided by Hezbollah, seeks to achieve a so-called "security normalization" that leads to resolving the conflict, allowing Hezbollah to continue holding its weapons under the pretext of using them later in liberating the farms.
On the other hand, the presidential file does not seem to witness any new developments amid the tense situation in the south. Political sources stated that the Qatari envoy continues his activities in unfavorable circumstances. He is expected to arrive in Beirut, or perhaps he has already arrived, but there is no trace of him yet. The Quintet Committee has shown no signs of movement, and political sources ruled out any imminent action from it, pending the formation of the new French government.
In a related context, several independent and opposition MPs continued their efforts to create a presidential atmosphere. An evening meeting was held yesterday, including deputies from "National Moderation" and "New Lebanon," as well as deputies Abdel Rahman Al-Bizri, Halima Qaaqaour, and Elias Jaradeh, to establish a nucleus for an influential bloc in the upcoming elections, especially the presidential one. This as information made available to "Nidaa al-Watan" said that there was a confirmation to continue meetings to agree on all issues, with the main focus on pushing for the election of a president.
On the ground, in worsening conditions, the Israeli military spokesperson announced last night that the army killed the leader of Hezbollah's air unit in southern Lebanon, Ali Bourji, based on Israel targeting a car with a drone in Khirbet Sellom coinciding with the funeral of the leader of the "al-Ridwan" brigade in Hezbollah, Wissam al-Taweel, earlier in the day. However, Hezbollah denied these claims later.
For its part, Hezbollah announced that it targeted the command headquarters of the northern region of the Israeli army "as part of the response" to the assassination of al-Taweel and the deputy head of the political bureau of "Hamas," Saleh al-Arouri. The party had announced on Saturday the targeting of an aerial surveillance base in northern Israel as a "first response" to the assassination of al-Arouri and his comrades.