Sheikh Naim Kasım, the number two name of the Hezbollah organization, told Reuters news agency that they were ready to take action against Israel’s natural gas operations, including “using force”, upon the Lebanese government’s decision on whether Israel violated rights in disputed waters.
Sheikh Naim Kasım spoke these words when a ship operated by the London-based oil drilling company Energean arrived in the region to begin work on the natural gas field known as Karish.
Israel says the gas field is part of a special economic zone, while Lebanon claims that the area is located within its own field.
Lebanese President and Prime Minister, in their statements, warned Israel not to start work in Karish. The warnings raised fears that violence could escalate in the region.
In a statement made today by Hezbollah, it was stated that they will only take action when the Lebanese government accuses Israel of violating the rights at sea.
“If the Lebanese state says that the Israelis are attacking our waters and our oil, then we are ready to do our part to apply pressure, to act as a deterrent and to resort to appropriate means, including force,” Kasim said.
Noting that “the issue requires the final decision of the Lebanese state”, Kasım said that Hezbollah “calls on the government to act quickly and set a timetable”.
Kasim said he would take action “whatever the answers”, even if it would cause a wider dispute.
Lebanon, on the other hand, announced that an American mediator would be invited to Beirut to resume indirect negotiations with Israel on the disputed maritime border issue. Negotiations had stalled since last year.
Beirut hopes to reach an agreement to use its precious natural gas reserves to alleviate the worst financial crisis Lebanon has ever faced.
The Lebanese cabinet had passed the long-awaited recovery roadmap at the end of May, despite the objections of ministers from the Hezbollah organization.
Kasim said today that last month’s parliamentary elections in Lebanon triggered the formation of a new government, thus signaling that a new plan should be negotiated.
Hezbollah, which lost its majority in the parliament in the election, still continues to hold the positions of parliament speaker and vice president.
“The most important step we have to take as soon as possible is to form a government, because without a government the country will be dragged into a much worse situation,” Kasım said.
Refusing to comment on whether Hezbollah will approve the new term of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Kasım also did not comment on whether he has brought up some names as a successor to Hezbollah ally President Michel Aoun, whose term expires at the end of October.
Noting that the next priority will be financial recovery, Kasım said that although Hezbollah is skeptical of Lebanon’s preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), such an agreement is a “necessary bridge” to access other funds.