The Energan Power Vessel has reached the area close to the shores of Lebanon and Israel. Its arrival has stirred stagnant waters in the Mediterranean as it is meant for demarcation of maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel.
Perhaps the arrival of the Greek ship surprised the Lebanese, who are preoccupied with their own concerns of livelihood. It is being closely monitored by the newly elected members of Lebanese parliaments. Observers feel that the arrival of the ship to the region was scheduled and known. But this does not negate that its arrival has made the situation complex for Lebanon, not less than the ongoing economic crisis and monetary downfall.
The maritime border demarcation issue, unlike other issues, is not an internal matter which the authority in Lebanon can deal with lightly, or mobilise sectarian sensitivities to tackle it, or dump in the drawers. It is an issue which is related to the relationship with a country which Lebanon has already classified as an “enemy.”
The American interest in the demarcation of the borders between Lebanon and Israel is not new. Washington led indirect technical negotiations between the two countries which began in October 2020, and held five rounds of talks, the last of which was in May 2021 on an area of 860 square kilometres.
Some feel that the US is giving importance to it not only to secure the interests of its ally, Israel, but also to ensure safe energy transport lines, away from Russian energy sources.
[by Awwab Al-Masri in TRT Arabi]
US Returns to Iraq
The new local, regional, and international developments have expedited the retreat of the administration of President Joe Biden from the policy it pursued with Iran in the past and return to Iraq with a different and new face.
Whosoever tells you that the US may leave Iraq and leave it to the Iranian regime, with its people, land, water, and air, to have its ministries and institutions in its clutches, disrupt its rebuilding and to prevent its return to the status of a civilized, safe and prosperous state similar to its neighbours, tell him that it is impossible.
It seems that the new local Iraqi, regional and international developments, particularly in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, validate this fact. The first sign of this coming back is the arrival of a new US ambassador with Middle Eastern intelligence experience to Iraq.
In the face of all these developments, we no longer need more analysis and scrutiny to understand that those positions are shifting, interests are changing, and the Iranian regime is stuck in a corner and made it necessary for it to take to continue its policy of stubbornness, escalation, arrogance, blackmail and provocation, and to enter into a decisive confrontation with the broad American-Arab front which opposes its aggressive behaviour, accepts the new reality and reduces its presence in Iraq, stops financing of militias and terrorist outfits in Arab world and freezes its military, oil and economic relations with Russia and China.
[by Ibrahim Al-Zubaidi in Al-Arab, London]
Compiled and Translated by Faizul Haque