General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said Friday that Lebanon is waging “a holy battle” to regain its maritime rights from the Israeli enemy.
He added that the battle includes controlling the land border crossings.
“There is no selectivity and no arbitrariness in implementing regulations and using power,” Ibrahim said.
Lebanon is waiting for a response from Israel after having relayed its maritime border position to U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein.
Lebanon and Israel, who have no diplomatic relations and are separated by a U.N.-patrolled border, had resumed negotiations over their maritime border in 2020 but the process was stalled. In June, Israel moved a production vessel into a disputed gas field, parts of which are claimed by Lebanon. The move forced the Lebanese government to call for the resumption of U.S.-mediated negotiations.
In July, the general security agency questioned Maronite archbishop Mussa al-Hajj for 12 hours upon his return from Israel with large quantities of medicines, foodstuffs and canned goods, in addition to $460,000. Al-Hajj was crossing Lebanon’s southern border after a visit to Israel as he heads a community of Lebanese Christian Maronites who live there, many of whom are refugees who collaborated with Israel during Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. A military court summoned him for further questioning, but he ignored the summons amid a strong support from Christian leaders.