Hezbollah Says It's 'Behind the State' in Lebanon Maritime Deal with Israel

A representative of Hezbollah has told Newsweek that the group would support the Lebanese state after the country reached a historic agreement to resolve a long-standing dispute with Israel over maritime boundaries and the right to explore gas reserves at sea.

When asked about the powerful Lebanese Shiite Muslim organization's position on the newly announced deal Tuesday, a representative told Newsweek that "we did not intervene, and we are behind the state."

"The important thing is not to abandon our rights and our water resources," the representative added.

Hezbollah and Israel have fought against one another in two major wars and have engaged in occasional clashes along their still-disputed land border, which runs about 50 miles. The existing boundary, known as the Blue Line, was established by the United Nations as a buffer zone more than two decades ago and is still patrolled by U.N. peacekeepers to this day.

Lebanon and Israel have never had diplomatic relations, and Tuesday's deal was not seen as a step toward normalization. Their respective governments must still ratify the agreement despite the presence of some domestic opposition.

Hours after the Hezbollah representative spoke with Newsweek, the group's leader, Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech in which he said that "we are facing crucial hours" on the demarcation issue.

"We as a Lebanese people are waiting for the official position of His Excellency President Michel Aoun to be announced and we are waiting for the official position by the enemy government, although it is said that the head of the enemy government announced his approval," the movement's leader said, "but what is important is what will happen tomorrow because it was said that there is a meeting of the government."

Nasrallah expressed wariness toward Israel's next moves, saying "we must be careful because there are those who can change their mind at every moment and the negotiations were difficult and strenuous."

He praised the group's resistance fighters and instructed them to "remain ready, vigilant and prepared until we see with own eyes that the understanding has occurred."

Senior officials of President Joe Biden's administration praised what one called "a truly historic breakthrough," especially as the two nations remain in a technical state of war, during a press call with reporters.

A second official noted that the initial talks to secure the deal began a decade ago and spanned some three administrations and were only resolved after an "intensive" round of negotiations in recent days.

Biden has since spoken to both Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, congratulating them for finalizing the agreement.

"As we move forward into implementation," the second senior administration official said, "both leaders confirm their readiness to move forward after this breakthrough and to begin discussing implementation."

The official said that moving forward with the terms would guarantee Israel's security and offer Lebanon new economic opportunities as the country continued to undergo a severe economic crisis exacerbated by a lack of fuel.

But the official also noted that it was expected "there may be other difficult moments as we implement this agreement moving forward," and asserted that "the United States continues and will continue to offer its help in facilitating any discussions in the future where diplomatic efforts are useful."

The terms of the agreement have yet to be made public, but the decades-long feud has centered around conflicting claims over where Lebanon and Israel's respective exclusive economic zones lie in the Eastern Mediterranean. The dispute has been intensified over the discovery of unexplored hydrocarbon resources, the full amount of which remain officially unknown.

The dispute worsened over the summer as Hezbollah launched spy drones toward a rigging platform on the Karish gas field located entirely within Israel-claimed lines and partially within Lebanon-claimed boundaries and Israel Defense Forces said they intercepted the unmanned systems. Nasrallah threatened further measures if Israel went through with plans to extract resources from the disputed region.

Further to the north is the Qana gas field, partially claimed by Israel and entirely by Lebanon.

Following news of the agreement, Aoun met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss implementation. Aoun's office shared a statement attributed to Mikati in which the premier thanked the U.S. and French leaders as well as French energy giant TotalEnergies, which is expected to lead exploration for Lebanon.

"It was agreed to start the exploration stages immediately after the final agreement," Mikati was cited as saying.

And while a number of Lebanese leaders across political lines welcomed the deal, criticism has emerged, including from factions such as the Christian Kataeb Party, which called for the deal to be brought to a vote before the Lebanese Parliament.

In Israel, Lapid also expressed gratitude for the U.S. role after his conversation with Biden. The Israeli premier also announced he would convene his Security Cabinet on Wednesday, followed by a special government to seek approval for the agreement before it is presented to the Knesset.

Some Israeli parliamentarians have also demanded an opportunity to vote on the deal, however, expressing criticism over the way Lapid handled the talks. Former Prime Minister and current Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement a "historic surrender" in remarks criticized by Lapid's party, Yesh Atid, which said that the former Israeli premier had gone to the media to "recite" Nasrallah's messaging.

"The chairman of the opposition to the country, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the agreement, became a vocal opponent only because he was unable to achieve it himself," the party said on Twitter. "Recommendation to Netanyahu: put personal interest aside, listen to the heads of the security establishment who unanimously support the agreement, and praise Prime Minister Lapid who brings results to the citizens."

This is a developing news story. More information will be added as it becomes available.