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Israeli Army Adds Nasrallah to Its Assassination List

Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
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Israeli Army Adds Nasrallah to Its Assassination List

Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)

Israel has decided to increase pressure on Lebanon's Hezbollah through new "preemptive" attacks, aiming to either push the group toward a settlement in the north that would allow residents to return to their homes or to escalate into a full-scale war. Israeli reports hinted that entering into a comprehensive war would mean the assassination of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, following the killing of two-thirds of the party’s central leadership.
An Israeli source told Yedioth Ahronoth that Israel, in this new phase, has decided to continue striking Hezbollah, adding: "There are no red lines, and the only goal now is the safe return of the residents to their homes, and we understand the costs involved in that."
These Israeli threats came after the assassination of Hezbollah's senior military official, Ibrahim Aqil, along with several members of the Radwan Force command, in a strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
According to the newspaper, Israel is ready for a full-scale war, and the ball is in Hezbollah's court. It added that Tel Aviv is still giving Nasrallah a chance to respond to the American mediation proposal for a settlement that would allow the return of residents to the north.
Israel’s intention to continue escalating against Hezbollah was highlighted by a strained call between Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron. Channel 12 reported that Macron had a tense conversation with Netanyahu, which was confirmed by Yedioth Ahronoth. The French president accused the Israeli premier of pushing the region toward war, insisting that Israel must take a diplomatic path. He added that this is the right moment to show leadership and responsibility.
Netanyahu responded by saying: “Instead of pressuring us, it’s time you put pressure and talk to Hezbollah. We will return our people to their homes, this is a decision we made this week, and we will carry it out.”
On Saturday, Israel raised the level of threats by broadcasting an image through the Israeli army indicating that Nasrallah is at the top of the assassination list. The army released a poster featuring the Hezbollah military leadership, showing the images of nine people, six of whom had been assassinated, including Ibrahim Aqil and senior leader Foad Shukr.
The three remaining on the assassination list are Nasrallah, Ali Karaki (commander of the southern front), and Abu Ali Reza (commander of the Badr Unit). According to Walla news agency, Israel’s intent is to force Hezbollah into a settlement and avoid a full-scale war. However, if such a war breaks out, Nasrallah will be in the crosshairs.

 

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Arab World

Palestinians Receptive to Lebanon’s Call to Limit Possession of Weapons in Refugee Camps

The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee meets at the government headquarters. (Dialogue committee)
The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee meets at the government headquarters. (Dialogue committee)
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Palestinians Receptive to Lebanon’s Call to Limit Possession of Weapons in Refugee Camps

The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee meets at the government headquarters. (Dialogue committee)
The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee meets at the government headquarters. (Dialogue committee)

Lebanon has started to exert serious efforts to restrict the possession of weapons inside Palestinian refugee camps in the country in line with President Joseph Aoun’s inaugural speech.

The president had demanded that the possession of weapons in the country and the camps be limited to the state.

The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee met at the government headquarters in Beirut three days ago to discuss the issue.

All Palestinian factions attended the meeting, and the gatherers agreed to “completely” resolve the Palestinian possession of arms outside the camps. They also agreed to outline how to restrict weapons inside the camps in line with the president’s speech.

The Lebanese state has yet to come up with the mechanism to confiscate the weapons inside the camps.

A Lebanese security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the arms will be tackled through a political approach drawn up by the government. “It will be carried out by the army with the security agencies and in coordination with the Palestinian factions in the camp, led by the Fatah movement, which is the official representative of the Palestinian people,” it added.

The Palestinians have expressed their “complete understanding” of the issue, it remarked.

The laying down of weapons by Palestinian factions is a step towards all illegal weapons throughout the country being turned over to the Lebanese state, it went on to say.

“There are no longer any excuses for weapons to remain in possession of any organization,” stressed the source.

Lebanese groups will be demanded to lay down their arms after the Palestinian ones do, it added.

In a first, the Palestinian factions have been very receptive to a Lebanese head of state’s demand to cooperate in limiting the possession of weapons in the refugee camps.

Member of the Palestinian National and Central Councils Haitham Zaiter said that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) recognizes that the camps are part of Lebanese territories, so they come under the authority of the state and its laws.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “complete coordination” is ongoing between the Lebanese security agencies and PLO inside the camps where several wanted Lebanese and Palestinian suspects and others from other nationalities have been turned over to the authorities.

The suspects had sought refuge in the camps to avoid justice in the crimes they have committed, he acknowledged.

“The PLO is the sole representative of the Palestinian people inside Palestine and in the diaspora,” he stated.

Moreover, Zaiter explained that Palestinian weapons in Lebanon are either carried by the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) outside the camps or by non-partisan individuals inside the camps.

The PFLP-GC laid down its weapons as soon as the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad collapsed in December.

Heavy weapons inside the camps had been previously brought in with the aim to undermine the PLO, he added.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “has constantly called for coordination with Lebanese authorities to limit the possession of these weapons,” Zaiter said.