Nasrallah Threatens Israel With a ‘Major War’

An-Nahar, Lebanon, April 15

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity together with some of my colleagues to host Lebanon’s ambassador to France, Rami Adwan, at a private meeting at his home in Paris. Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib was also present, as he conducted a private visit to France during which he did not meet with any French officials. The regional situation was top of mind, as we sought to gain further insight into the situation between the “axis of opposition” that violated southern Lebanon’s sovereignty, and Israel, whose positions have been vacillating between threats and calm. In order for the Lebanese minister to feel comfortable speaking and for us to obtain a few insights, we agreed to not attribute any of what he said in the private session to him. We regret that decision now. The only thing the Lebanese foreign minister revealed was that, when it comes to Hizbullah, there is no difference between elected Lebanese officials and the average Lebanese citizen, as they both have access to the exact same information, make the same guesses, share the same opinions, and fear the same consequences. Despite our long experience of this reality, the thought of it is deeply troubling, particularly in this critical moment for Lebanon. How can Lebanon’s allies take our elected officials seriously when they appear helpless at every crossroad? Without violating the protocol of the closed session with the minister, I can share that Habib confirmed the notion that war and peace in Lebanon is fully in the hands of Hizbullah. Its actions in recent days, such as claiming that the rockets fired at Israel were fired by Palestinians factions, demonstrate that this imbalance of power will remain in place. In his speech for International Quds Day, Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah mocked Israel by claiming that its airstrikes only destroyed “bananas.” Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, warning him of a “major war.” In his address to the Israeli premier, Nasrallah highlighted the current helpless state of Lebanon, which is being manipulated by Hizbullah at the behest of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. This comes at a time when Saudi Arabia and Iran have signed the Beijing Agreement, which is seen to be isolating Israel. As a result of this, a political battle has sprung up in Lebanon between anti-Hizbullah forces over the extension of municipal and elective councils. This battle symbolizes the distraction of the Lebanese political class from the main challenge on our national agenda: restoring the Lebanese state and ensuring its survival. —Fares Khachan (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)