“US Not Influential Enough to Mediate between Lebanon, Zionist Regime”

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey on a tour to the West Asia and North Africa region; a trip during which he pursued certain goals in any of these states.

Meanwhile, Tillerson’s visit to Beirut was made with the objective of mediating between Lebanon and the Zionist regime.

In recent weeks the ties between Beirut and Tel Aviv have become tense over the energy resources in the regional and border waters.

Although the US mediation has not been accepted by Lebanese groups, Washington authorities have shown that they will not enter such issues as a neutral body revealing that their ultimate goal is to realize the privileges that the Zionists claim for.

As a result, when Tillerson arrived in Lebanon, he received numerous political and diplomatic messages from the Lebanese authorities. The resistance movement also showed that it is dissatisfied with the provocative actions of Donald Trump in face of regional developments.

Diplomatic Messages & Disrespects

When the US secretary of state arrived at the Lebanese airport, he realized that he would not have a normal trip. Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil refused to come to airport to welcome his US counterpart, and he did not go to welcome him when the delegation arrived in the Baabda Palace.

Accordingly, Tillerson and his accompanying delegation stayed for quite some time at the venue of the meeting, waiting for the Lebanese Foreign Minister and President Michel Aoun. The television broadcasts also showed the disrespect for the US Secretary of State.
There is no doubt that such a move has not been accidental and the Lebanese authorities and officials intended to convey a political message to the Americans indirectly saying that they would not accept their mediation to resolve disputes with Zionist Regime.

Opposition to US Proposals
On the other hand, the Zionist regime's building of a wall on the border with Lebanon has been a source of tension between the two sides. The wall is being built by the Zionists in a way that partly goes through the territory of Lebanon and in some way is a violation of the territorial integrity of the country. Therefore, all these tensions made Tillerson's journey very difficult.

In the same way, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held talks with Tillerson on the issue of violating the territorial integrity of Lebanon by the Zionist regime and building the wall in the border areas between the two sides. Given that Zionist Regime does not recognize the International Maritime Law Court and has not signed the UN's agreement on this matter, Berri emphasized that special attention must be paid to the tripartite committee that holds its meetings at UN headquarters in Naqoura.

However, the strongest reaction to Tillerson’s suggestion was shown by the Lebanese resistance movement and, in particular, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah.

"Determining the southern borders of Lebanon, and in particular the maritime borders of this country does not take place on based on the wishes of Americans, who have entered talks not as mediators, but as the representatives of our enemy. The Lebanese Supreme Defense Council decides on preventing oil and gas exploration by the enemy, and we are well prepared for this,” said Nasrallah.

He also called on the Lebanese leaders to take into consideration resistance movement’s might in their talks so as not to allow the "devil” US to sow the seeds of discord among the Lebanese.

Addressing the Zionist Regime, he said "We are powerful in the oil equation, and if you intend to prevent us, we will confront you. If you hit us with your bullets, we will react. If you intend to strike a blow to us, we will hit you as well. If the Lebanese Higher Defense Council makes an official decision that some gas and oil rigs in the Palestinian sea – a sea plundered by Zionist Regime, the enemy entity – must not operate, I promise you that within a few hours they will not operate anymore.”

Assessment
Undoubtedly, Tillerson’s visit to Lebanon was very important. His trip to Lebanon was a pre-planned one, as the US Deputy Secretary of State David Satterfield earlier arrived in Beirut to make the preparations for Tillerson's trip.
To this end, he tried to take steps to protect the interests of the Zionist Regime in the issue of the Mediterranean gas resources and the designation of the borders and erection of a wall, which were supposed to be discussed during the bilateral talks. However, the Lebanese government today, in light of resistance’s theories and practice, has gained the courage to stand up against US, and there is an agreement between the political elites that the only way to protect the national interests is to stand against the US and Zionists.

Meanwhile, the statements of Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah against the expansionism of the United States and the Zionist regime, can be regarded as an important and obvious political message for the Zionist-US coalition that the resistance protects Lebanon's wealth and natural resources, while giving Lebanese government a significant political and military weight. His words also proved that in negotiations with the enemies the resistance movement gives an upper hand to Beirut, so that, in any talks with the Americans or Zionists the Lebanese government would never be underestimated and be sure that it can defend the country's rights by counting on power and strength of the resistance movement.

MOHAMMAD REZA BALVERDI

Source: Basirat Persian Website