Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri on Monday gave a speech commemorating the 48th anniversary of the disappearance of Musa Al-Sadr, the enigmatic Shiite cleric. In his speech, Berri spoke about the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel and how it has failed to achieve any of its goals. During the meeting between President Joseph Aoun and US President Donald Trump in July, the latter mentioned that Berri would join the process once he had seen progress. He was right. Since there has been no progress at all, Berri totally rejected the framework during his speech.
Berri said Israel has no intention of withdrawing. He also pointed to the framework agreement’s flaws, particularly Article 13, which states that Lebanon should not sue Israel in any international platforms. If Lebanon cannot use legal means to pressure Tel Aviv, how can it exert any kind of pressure on it?
It is obvious the framework agreement has failed and Israel is using it as a public relations tool. Israel has clearly stated it will not leave Lebanon before Hezbollah is disarmed and its threat removed. But Israel has been trying to eradicate Hezbollah for the last 40 years and it has failed. The fact it set out such a broad and unachievable goal means that it very clearly does not want to withdraw. It is negotiating for the sake of negotiating.
It is obvious the framework agreement has failed and Israel is using it as a public relations tool
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib
Does this ring a bell? Of course, the Oslo Accords. Israel negotiated with the Palestine Liberation Organization and gave the Palestinians nothing. In return, the Palestinians recognized the state of Israel. While negotiating, Israel is increasing the area it occupies. It continues with its demolitions and killing innocent civilians.
Anyone who examines the negotiations from an Israeli point of view sees that they are nothing but a smokescreen for Tel Aviv’s efforts to derail any Iran-US talks. Tehran is still insisting on a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in order to reach a final agreement with the US. Israel will use Lebanon to sabotage the deal. Netanyahu has already announced that he will not comply.
Israel is using its negotiations with the Lebanese state to legitimize its actions. It has been reported that Tel Aviv has used the negotiations with Lebanon in Washington to remove its withdrawal as a precondition to the agreement. At the same time, Iran is insisting on the withdrawal. This way, Israel is creating a point of contention between the US and Iran and making sure the war continues.
The agreement Lebanon signed with Israel in June created the concept of “pilot zones” as a mechanism for executing Israel’s withdrawal. The proposal is to create small, designated areas where the Lebanese army deploys and makes sure there is no presence of Hezbollah or any other nonstate actor. Following that, the Israeli army will redeploy. However, this plan has a caveat: verification. Who will verify that the area is demilitarized so that Israeli forces can withdraw, residents can go back and reconstruction can start?
The further the Lebanese government goes down the route of negotiations with Israel, the more credibility it loses
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib
Israel has refused an Italian proposal, as well as any role for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, whose mandate is nearing its end, or the UN Truce Supervision Organization. Without a credible and impartial verification mechanism, the pilot zones are just an excuse for Israel to maintain its occupation. Netanyahu has said he will not withdraw from the south and claimed that his election rival, Gadi Eisenkot, would do so if he were elected, as well as pulling Israeli troops out of Gaza and Syria and allowing the creation of a Palestinian state. On top of this, Israel last week reportedly told the US that the pilot zones plan had failed. Obviously, this is a prelude for extending the occupation.
It is obvious the direct negotiations have failed. Israel has no intention of withdrawing and no intention of stopping the war. The negotiations are just a public relations stunt to show the world it is in talks. This is the same scenario Israel applies to the Palestinians. It continues with its belligerent actions while negotiating. Aoun admitted the talks have been difficult and full of hurdles but he said they remained a better option than war.
What Aoun does not grasp is that the war has not stopped. The ceasefire is symbolic. Israel is continuing its aggressive actions as if there were no truce. On top of this, the framework agreement gives Israel legal cover thanks to the notorious article that forbids Lebanon from going after it in international legal platforms.
Berri also thanked Arab and Muslim countries, mentioning Pakistan by name. His speech came a few days after Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stressed the importance of “Islamic unity.” This should give a hint to the Lebanese. The direct negotiations are not working. It is time to call it quits and look for another way to deal with Israel.
The alternative is right in front of Lebanese eyes: the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Lebanon cannot face Israel alone with no leverage. And if it was to hand over its dossier to Tehran, this would create more tensions internally. The factions opposing Hezbollah would see that as total submission to Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. The Makkah pact, signed last month by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, is the platform through which Lebanon should address Israel.
Lebanon has tried and failed. The further the current Lebanese government goes down the route of negotiations with Israel, the more credibility it loses. It is time to stop, think and reassess how to approach the situation. Most importantly, Lebanon should realize it cannot go down this path alone — it needs strong backing. The Makkah Agreement offers this support.
BY: Writer Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
