(Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs) Col. (ret.) Dr. Jacques Neriah - The elimination of Hizbullah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is affecting the Lebanese body politic. Muslim, Druze and Christian parties are seeking an immediate ceasefire, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south of Lebanon (replacing Hizbullah's presence in the area). In response, Iran intervened by dispatching to Beirut its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, who conducted stormy conversations with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Nabih Berri, head of the Shiite Amal movement, that Druze leader Walid Jumblatt qualified as humiliating. Iran has imposed its political will on Lebanon, forced the Lebanese body politic to retreat, and signified to all parties that it solely retained the political decisions in Lebanon and that everything must be in accordance with its interests. Iran nominated a high-ranking Iranian officer to run the collective leadership of Hizbullah, while its military advisers conduct military operations against Israel in the absence of a field leadership almost annihilated by Israel. At the same time, Hizbullah has lost some of its positions of strength in Lebanon. The international Rafiq Hariri Airport in Lebanon and Beirut Port, which were run solely by Hizbullah, have been transferred to the control of the Lebanese army. The writer, a special analyst at the Jerusalem Center, was formerly Deputy Head for Assessment of Israeli Military Intelligence.
2024-10-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive