Lebanese MP Qassem Hashem, affiliated with the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement, warned that he would repeat efforts to cross the border between Lebanon and Israel after he led a group of dozens of Lebanese citizens who infiltrated Israeli territory on Saturday.
“Our visit with the media and a number of civilians who own property in the Shebaa Farms is not something new, but it is scheduled, and we go on such tours from time to time to remind Lebanon of the Shebaa Farms and to remind the enemy that it is an occupier of this land and we cannot tolerate its continued occupation of it,” said Hashem in an interview with Sawt Beirut on Saturday.
“We will repeat it, and we will return again and again and again to such initiatives and more of them and more severely until we reach the moment of its liberation from this enemy,” stressed the MP.
Despite the threat and recent tensions surrounding the Lebanese-Israeli border, Hashem insisted that “there is stability” along the border, claiming that this was due to the “balance of deterrence” with Israel.
Amal Movement MP Qassem Hashem stands with members of UN peacekeepers of UNIFIL as they inspect an area that was hit by shells fired from Israel, around the town of Al Wazzani, near the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon. (credit: REUTERS/KARAMALLAH DAHER)Lebanese citizens infiltrated 80 meters into Israeli territory
On Saturday, Hashem led dozens of Lebanese citizens in crossing around 80 meters in the Mount Dov area, referred to as the Shebaa Farms area by Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, leading the IDF to respond with warning shots and crowd dispersal methods.
The Shebaa Farms area has been one of the centers of recent tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with repeated scuffles occurring between Lebanese citizens and IDF soldiers in the area. Lebanon claims that the Shebaa Farms is Lebanese territory, while Israel says it’s Israeli territory. About two months ago, Hezbollah set up two tents in the area and placed armed operatives inside.
In a speech on Wednesday marking the anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned that if the tents were attacked Hezbollah would respond.
Israel has reportedly been conducting extensive diplomatic efforts through UNIFIL to convince Hezbollah to move the tents back into Lebanese territory, but Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have insisted that the area the tents are currently located in belongs to Lebanon.
Nasrallah reiterated a claim that the tents are located in Lebanese territory, not Israeli territory, adding that the tents were only put up after Israeli authorities began building a fence around the village of Ghajar, which is split in half by the Blue Line with half in Lebanon and half in Israel.
Lebanese officials have accused Israel in recent weeks of effectively annexing the northern part of Ghajar due to the construction of the fence.
Referring to Ghajar, Nasrallah warned that Hezbollah “could not remain silent” on the matter and accused Israel of “occupying” the village. “The land of Ghajar, the Sheeba Farms, and the Kfarchouba hills will not be left to the Israelis,” stressed Nasrallah. “Work must be done to liberate it, and the effort will be shared between the state and the resistance.”
Last week, an anti-tank missile was fired toward the village of Ghajar, which is split in half by the Blue Line. In response to the missile fire, the IDF launched artillery strikes on sites near the towns of Kfarchouba and Halta. Over 15 shells were fired by the IDF toward southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.
The missile fire came shortly after a statement by Hezbollah expressing outrage at the construction of a fence around Ghajar, with the movement accusing Israel of implementing a “complete occupation” of the village and stressing that “this is not just a routine breach of what the occupation forces are accustomed to from time to time.”
On Wednesday morning, Hezbollah-affiliated media published footage of Israeli forces operating in the northern part of Ghajar, calling the presence of Israeli forces a “breach.”
Additionally, in recent weeks, the IDF and Lebanese citizens have clashed at various points along the Lebanese border while the IDF carried out maintenance work near the technical fence, including in the Shebaa Farms area.
On Wednesday, Lebanese media reports indicated that three members of Hezbollah were injured after approaching the border fence, with the IDF stating that it had acted against suspects who had attempted to damage the fence, with video from the scene showing suspects nearing the fence before a non-lethal explosive detonated on the fence and they ran away.
Nasrallah referenced the scuffles that took place between Lebanese citizens and Israeli forces along the Lebanese border on Wednesday, stating that the incidents were “under investigation” and stressing that “necessary measures” would be carried out once the investigation was completed.
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