Lebanese army Intelligence Directorate arrested former MP Othman Alam Al-Din for shooting during a celebration of a social event.

Hurdles may derail maritime border progress (The Cradle)

Israeli PM Yair Lapid will present the US-brokered maritime agreement with Lebanon for cabinet approval on 6 ⁠October. Lapid intends to ratify the deal at the Israeli security council and consult about the threat posed by Hezbollah if the deal fails.

US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea met the Lebanese authorities on 1 ⁠October and handed them the final draft. An identical draft was handed to the Israeli authorities.

However, despite the confidence of both Beirut and Tel Aviv that a deal is highly likely before the elections in November, legal hurdles in Israel and fear of economic normalization in Lebanon may derail the entire process.

⋯ Online newspaper Israel Today reports that Lapid intends to approve the agreement through a special article in the government regulations that gives him the right to hide its details from the public.

Lapid fears that if the agreement goes public, Netanyahu will leverage it in the upcoming election; “Yair Lapid shamefully surrendered to [Hezbollah leader] Nasrallah’s threats”, Netanyahu stated on 2 ⁠October in a video on Twitter, adding that Lapid “is giving Hezbollah sovereign territory of the State of Israel with a huge gas reservoir that belongs to you, the citizens of Israel”.

If the current government certifies the agreement, it will be considered an unorthodox process that is unprecedented in Israeli policy and practices, especially when it comes to territorial concessions.

⋯ The former head of IDF Military Intelligence, Amos Yadlin, was quoted by Lebanon-based Al-Manar TV as saying that “Nasrallah has achieved everything he wanted, so he feels satisfied”.

Yadlin added that the Israeli public is not that interested in the details, and will prefer a resolution to this energy crisis over a war in the north with Hezbollah.

On the other hand, Lebanon is wary of the implications of Israel’s announcement that it would benefit from the royalties of the gas that Lebanon extracts from Qana.

⋯ If Lebanon accepts this condition – even if the royalties are indirectly paid by the international company that will operate on behalf of Lebanon – Beirut would be normalizing ties with Tel Aviv.

US senator Ted Cruz takes a loss bitterly!

⋯ David Friedman, US Ambassador to Israel (2017-2021):

"No one imagined that Lebanon would take 100% of its demands and Israel take 0%. I would like to understand how we got here."

⋯ Former head of IDF Military Intelligence, Amos Yadlin:

"Nasrallah has achieved everything he wanted, so he feels satisfied."

⋯ Jacky Hugi from Maariv:

"Nasrallah successfully completed his mission, putting pressure on all parties with intimidation and threats. It is thanks to Hezbollah's threats, that Israel has shown flexibility. Otherwise, Lebanon's rights would have been taken away."

⋯ Israeli political analyst Rafif Drucker:

"The completion of the maritime demarcation agreement was the result of threats from the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, and whoever says otherwise is a liar."

⋯ Israeli analyst for Arab affairs, Zvika Yehezkali:

"Israel conceded very quickly, and Nasrallah's threats made that happen. He is the one who will reap the fruits of the agreement."

The head of the Israeli negotiating delegation resigned from his position over his opposition to the agreement details with Lebanon.

President Aoun chairs the technical advisory meeting at the Republican Palace to discuss Amos Hochstein's written maritime agreement proposal.

⋯ The tripartite presidential meeting (Aoun, Berri, Mikati) has started at Baabda Palace to discuss the American offer on the demarcation of the southern maritime borders.

⋯ The organizations that filed the lawsuit said that the agreement constitutes a major existential and security danger to Israel and that there are major concessions.

Despite the talk of getting royalties, they allege they have proof that Qana is empty and will be of no use.

⋯ The decision of the Israeli Supreme Court bars discussions on this topic in the Knesset to the 27th of the month, that is, a few days before the elections.

Source: t.me/Sohaibpress/4862

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