Nasrallah's Call for Dialogue over Defense Strategy Is Widely Rejected by Lebanese Parties

Hezbollah supporters pose for a photo with its flags in Sahl al-Khiyam (Khiyam plain) in southern Lebanon on May 25, 2022, near the northern Israeli town of Metula across the border (Background). (AFP)
Hezbollah supporters pose for a photo with its flags in Sahl al-Khiyam (Khiyam plain) in southern Lebanon on May 25, 2022, near the northern Israeli town of Metula across the border (Background). (AFP)
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Nasrallah's Call for Dialogue over Defense Strategy Is Widely Rejected by Lebanese Parties

Hezbollah supporters pose for a photo with its flags in Sahl al-Khiyam (Khiyam plain) in southern Lebanon on May 25, 2022, near the northern Israeli town of Metula across the border (Background). (AFP)
Hezbollah supporters pose for a photo with its flags in Sahl al-Khiyam (Khiyam plain) in southern Lebanon on May 25, 2022, near the northern Israeli town of Metula across the border (Background). (AFP)

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah's call on Lebanese political forces to hold dialogue over a national defense strategy has been widely rejected by his rivals.

In remarks marking "Resistance and Liberation" Day on Wednesday, Nasrallah suggested that the dialogue would pave the way for Lebanon to drill for offshore gas and oil.

"Lebanon has a massive oil and gas wealth and we are by standing idly while the enemy [Israel] is signing contracts with the European Union to provide gas to replace Russia's," he remarked.

"Lebanon's problems can only be resolved through the gas and oil in its regional waters. So let us see how we can extract and protect it," he stated.

His call was widely rejected by opponents, who cited previous rounds of dialogue over a defense strategy, held in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

Instead of new talks and "wasting time", they suggested the implementation of the agreements reached during those dialogue sessions. They added that Lebanon has pressing internal crises that need to be addressed, such as negotiations with the IMF, approving reforms and tackling the electricity file

Lebanese Forces MP Fadi Karam described dialogue as a "waste of time".

Hezbollah has proposed dialogue to "avert attention from the results of the parliamentary elections that proved that the people reject the party and its weapons," he added to Asharq Al-Awsat.

The polls confirmed that the people "long to build a real state, one that is sovereign and where weapons and the decisions of war and peace are limited to it and the army."

Hezbollah and its allies lost their parliamentary majority in the elections, with the LF and independent opposition newcomers emerging as the main winners.

Nasrallah's proposal is aimed at "wasting time and the opportunities that were created by the elections, during which the Lebanese voted for Lebanon and the beginning of recovery," continued Karam.

Moreover, he declared that dialogue with Hezbollah "is rejected because we have tried so in the past," but it insisted on "wasting time and squandering opportunities."

The 2011 dialogue outcomes that called for Lebanon's neutrality and its disassociation from region conflicts were dashed by Hezbollah, which did not respect those agreements, he added.

"Hezbollah practices politics based on Iran's instructions and the interests of the Iranian negotiator," he remarked.

The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) shared Karam's view, stressing at the same time that it backs dialogue between Lebanese parties.

PSP sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that none of the dialogue outcomes have been respected in recent years and in the end, it turned out that these talks were a "waste of time".

Dialogue was held in 2006 at the invitation of parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. It was held again in 2011 at the invite of then President Michel Suleiman.

"We no longer have the luxury of time to hold dialogue for the sake of dialogue," added the sources.

"We need to approve a defense strategy and not just hold talks over it. Once approved, we can discuss other issues," they suggested.

"There can be no reform without sovereignty," they stated.

Lebanese parties insist that the decision of war and peace should be restricted to the state. The possession of weapons and defending Lebanon should be restricted to the army and state institutions. They refuse for Lebanon to be an open arena for regional wars and conflicts.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, insists on keeping its weapons. It has called for drafting a defense strategy to resist Israel should any attack happen.



Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.