From Beirut to New York, Thursday's developments resembled an unprecedented chaos. In this congestion, various issues intertwined, especially the upcoming presidential elections and the extension of the mandate for the international force operating in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, for another year.
Starting from Beirut, President Nabih Berri's appearance on the 45th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions in Libya carried internal messages related to the upcoming rounds of the French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian's mission.
This article is originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan.
In his lengthy speech, Berri, who entered the presidential race with a controversial proposal, did not mention his presidential candidate, Sleiman Frangieh. It is worth noting that since nominating Frangieh for this position, Berri has consistently reiterated his support for this choice, which has also become the choice of Hezbollah.
Berri's statement during the presidential discussions was: "Come in September to a dialogue in the parliament for heads of parliamentary blocs and their representatives, lasting for a maximum of seven days. After that, we will open successive sessions and celebrate the election of a President for the Republic."
The first reaction to Berri's proposal came from the Lebanese Forces. Its sources told "Nidaa Al-Watan" that "bargains are rejected for the Lebanese Forces. What is required is the application of the constitution, not negotiation. The constitution stipulates electoral sessions, and Berri should apply what the constitution says rather than using blackmail to extract dialogue. Bargaining is completely rejected. What is needed is consecutive electoral rounds."
Similarly, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), MP Gebran Bassil, commented on the parliament speaker's proposal, stating: "Our condition for participating in the dialogue was that it leads to consensus or democratic competition, and what we heard today from Berri is good and positive."
From Beirut to New York, the extension of the UNIFIL mandate for another year was marked by a majority of 13 votes in the Security Council, which has dedicated to implementing Resolution 1701 with the freedom to move and operate.
On the other hand, the failure of the "system's" diplomacy and the ineffectiveness of its official delegation in New York were revealed. This was evident in the comment made by the caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, who welcomed the decision to extend the mandate, noting that it "observed a fundamental clause requested by Lebanon, concerning UNIFIL's coordination with the Lebanese government according to the headquarters agreement."
In parallel, Hezbollah's initial reading is that "America and France responded to Israel's demand," considering it "a significant failure for Lebanon despite some efforts made recently."
Thus, the Security Council extended the UNIFIL mandate with a majority vote, with 13 in favor and abstentions from Russia and China. The resolution essentially reaffirmed the language from the previous year about UNIFIL's freedom of movement, which encompasses about ten thousand soldiers. However, the caretaker government and Hezbollah had previously contested this language.
The resolution calls on all parties to "ensure UNIFIL's freedom of movement in all its operations and its freedom of access to the Blue Line and not to obstruct it." It affirms that "UNIFIL does not require prior permission or authorization to perform its mandate" and "is allowed to perform its operations independently" while emphasizing the need for "coordination with the Lebanese government."
Moreover, outgoing US President's Senior Advisor for Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein made statements before leaving Beirut. In response to a question, he stated, "I think that after drilling and extraction have begun, it is time to review the framework that resulted from maritime demarcation and work on demarcation on land as well." He added, "I visited the South to see the Blue Line and the surrounding areas and better understand what we need to achieve the result."
Shortly before Hochstein left Lebanon, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdullahian arrived from Damascus at Rafic Hariri International Airport. On the eve of his talks in Lebanon, he stated, "We will urge various parties to reach understandings that lead to the election of a President for the Republic." He added, "Lebanon's leaders are the ones who should decide on electing a President for the Republic."