ICYMI: Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Agreement Benefits Hezbollah

(New York, N.Y.) — On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) director of Lebanon, Israel and Syria research David Daoud authored an op-ed in Haaretz warning of how a U.S.-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime border, if ratified by Beirut and Jerusalem, would positively benefit the U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Hezbollah.  

The deal in technical terms is solely meant to demarcate the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon and divide up offshore hydrocarbon deposits in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones. However, as Daoud explains, Lebanon’s ongoing economic crises have thus far kept Hezbollah’s threats from materializing and a deal could paradoxically enable Hezbollah to carry out said threats. 

“…Hezbollah has denied Israel any excuse for escalation, opting to use propaganda and theatricality to maintain its image of a strong Resistance movement capably deterring the rapacious Zionist enemy. This includes buzzing Israel’s Karish field with its drones. Anything more, and Hezbollah risks compounding Lebanese miseries with a war or armed clash with Israel from which Lebanon will not likely recover since all of Beirut’s historical benefactors have abandoned it – and turning itself into the center of Lebanese ire. Seemingly paradoxically, by signing this maritime border deal, the war or violent clashes with Hezbollah that it is intended to avoid will become more likely. The cash-flow will be just enough to restabilize the Lebanese economy…”  

Daoud argues that the proposed deal would provide superficial economic benefits that would leave Lebanon devoid of true economic reform and instead feed Lebanon’s corrupt political class and Hezbollah – which thrives off of the corrupt system. 

“As noted, the funds gained from any offshore oil and gas deposits could, indeed, bring Lebanon a measure of economic stability. But that gain would be evanescent and superficial. It would never create a truly prosperous Lebanon with a functioning economy. Instead, it would provide a financial sedative for the Lebanese street who are rightly angry at the ineptitude of their rulers, who have economically mismanaged the country into ruin. Meanwhile, it would benefit Lebanon’s corrupt political class and the system that sustains them, a ruling mafia who have been seeking any cosmetic alternative to the genuine and deep reforms necessary to make their country’s economy productive … Herein lies the second benefit for Hezbollah. Despite its carefully crafted image of unimpeachable integrity and honesty, the group thrives off Lebanon’s corrupt system, and therefore feeds into it.”  

Daoud concludes that no matter what the final text of the deal reads, it will without a doubt have the opposite effect that its advocates intend. It will only stand to bolster the terrorist organization and harm all parties involved. 

“The final text of the maritime border deal between Lebanon and Israel has not yet been revealed. But whatever form it takes, and whatever its content, is immaterial. Under Lebanon’s current political and social conditions, the deal will provide the country will just enough economic stability to loosen Hezbollah’s constraints, and buoy the country’s corrupt political class. 

Such an outcome harms Israeli, American, and Lebanese long-term interests – no matter how attractively the deal is being spun, or the apocalyptic scenarios being told about the failure to achieve it.” 

To read David Daoud’s op-ed in Haaretz, please click here. 

To read UANI’s resource Eye On Hezbollah, please click here.

###