On the issue of disarming Hezbollah:
In my opinion, being a purely Lebanese issue, the disarming of Hezbollah should be achieved without any external interference and away from the din and uproar of the media. Solving the problem would further incorporate the implementation of an important part of Resolution 1701, which relates to liberating the Sheba Farms from Israeli troops occupying them since June 1967. Israel has been procrastinating over withdrawal on the pretext that the Farms have yet to establish an identity. Should they be established as Lebanese, they would fall under Resolution 425, calling for an immediate withdrawal from the area. Should they, on the other hand, be established as Syrian they would be part of the Syrian-Israeli track and would accordingly be subject to Resolution 242. A solution would therefore materialize as soon as the Syrian-Lebanese borders are demarcated.

It is essential at this point that the Syrian government agree to the actual process of border demarcation. Verbal promises made by Syrian officials the last of whom is Foreign Minister Walid al-Moelim that Sheba Farms are part of Lebanon are no longer sufficient. Nor are they acceptable to the UN. The need is therefore pressing for demarcating the Syrian-Lebanese borders, which, should it take place, would eventually presage an immediate Israeli withdrawal.

A country small in size, heavy in cultural and intellectual weight, Lebanon has made a great many sacrifices as no other Arab country has done in the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Others prefer to make frenzied and impassioned speeches instead. It is time Lebanon enjoyed some security and stability. This is unlikely to be achieved unless all forms of foreign interference came to an end and until the Sheba Farms are liberated.

Ibrahim Nafei