Lebanon–Israel talks signal a political turning point in the region

Lebanon does not control the balance of power to confront its negotiator with weighty papers and tools. The “weapon arsenal” has deeply harmed the country, its resilience, unity, and the strength of its state. It has dragged Lebanon to the margins of the international system and turned it into an Iranian front from which Tehran overlooks Israel from our southern borders and the Mediterranean maps from our coast. Hezbollah’s “weapon” brought the war to our doorstep, while others’ wars were fought elsewhere. The occupier left in 2000 for good, and “the Sayyid” declared victory and weaponry from Bint Jbeil. The occupation has been gone for a quarter-century and returned to the city with the “virtues” of that weapon.