Perspectives: Lebanon and Hezbollah

Perspectives: Lebanon and Hezbollah  June 28, 2019 Perspectives: Lebanon and Hezbollah, is a UANI weekly resource highlighting developments in Lebanon and the activities of the terrorist group Hezbollah.   Hezbollah Internationally Hezbollah Won't Remain on Sidelines of Regional Conflict Sources close to Hezbollah reportedly told al-Joumhouria that the group wouldn't hesitate to confront an existential challenge launched against it, and that both the U.S. and Israel should take seriously Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's warning that an attack on Iran would spark a regional confrontation. Hezbollah: U.S. War with Iran Unlikely Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem dismissed the possibility of the U.S. initiating a conflict with Iran, despite heightened regional tensions. Qassem attributed this to Iran's military strength and the determination of its leadership and people, and the U.S. being primarily concerned with taking money from the Gulf States, which would be undermined by war. Qassem also downplayed the effectiveness of current U.S. sanctions on Hezbollah, saying that if those punitive measures had their intended effect, Washington wouldn't be resorting to "ridiculous fabrications" to "sully Hezbollah's reputation" - like claims that the group is involved in the drug trade or is planning attacks abroad. Lebanon Internationally Europeans Advise Lebanon to Keep Hezbollah Out of Regional Confrontation European diplomats reportedly advised Lebanese officials to keep their country out of any potential confrontation that could occur in the Persian Gulf. And in a direct reference to Hezbollah, to also ensure there is no involvement in U.S.-Iranian tensions. Lebanon Politicians Reject U.S.-Led Israeli-Palestinian Peace Effort Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Wednesday that the Lebanese "government, parliament, and all of Lebanon" reject the U.S.-led Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative, dubbed the "Deal of the Century." Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Lebanon wouldn't be tempted by "billions of dollars" to give up on its principles regarding Palestinian rights or its rejection of naturalizing Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Berri's sentiment was echoed by a political opponent, Lebanese Forces party deputy chairman George Adwan. The Amal Movement and Palestinian factions also staged demonstrations against the U.S.-led peace initiative taking place in Bahrain. U.S. Delegation to Discuss Syria, Border Demarcation with Israel A U.S. delegation is expected to visit Lebanon for talks with senior Lebanese officials regarding recent developments in Syria and negotiations over the demarcation of Lebanon's border with Israel. IMF Delegation Meets Lebanese Finance Minister Ahead of Critical Report Lebanese Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil met this week with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Chris Jarvis. They discussed Lebanon's economic situation and the latest developments regarding the stalled national budget and the reforms it included. Jarvis said he hoped Lebanon's parliament will approve the 2019 budget as soon as possible, which would be a step forward toward the release of funds earmarked for Lebanon at last year's CEDRE conference. The IMF is expected to issue a key report on Lebanon's monetary and financial situation before mid-July. The report is expected to impact Lebanon's financial standing and its future ability to borrow money. U.S.-Mediated Sea Border Talks to Begin in "Weeks" Israel's Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said he expected the launch of U.S.-mediated talks with Lebanon over their disputed maritime border to begin within a few weeks. Steinitz said he expected an agreement between the two countries to be reached within six to nine months. Meanwhile, Lebanon has not commented publicly on a timeline for talks or whether it would attend. The U.S. has also not announced a start date for talks or where they will be held. Lebanese Military Court Sentences Syrian for Spying on Hezbollah A Lebanese military court sentenced a Syrian man, Abdelazim al-Mghayzel, to three years of hard labor for allegedly monitoring the movements of Hezbollah's arms convoys and its leadership, and "passing the information on to terrorist groups." The court provided no information regarding the identity of the groups. Fewer Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Willing to Return Home The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon willing to return home has dwindled. Hezbollah MP Nawwar al-Saheli attributed this development to the school year calendar, rather than fear of punitive measures being carried out by the Assad regime. Al-Saheli also called for increasing direct cooperation between the Lebanese government and the Assad regime to repatriate the remaining refugees. "We welcome the Russian initiative to return refugees but this must not prevent direct contact between the two governments," al-Saheli said. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons.  UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons.