Nasrallah says extraction from Karish a red line but test run not a problem
Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday announced that his group is giving a chance to the negotiations aimed at finding a sea border deal between Lebanon and Israel but warned that gas extraction by Israel from the Karish field would be a “red line” that would necessitate a response.
“Lebanon is before a golden chance that might not be repeated,” said Nasrallah about the offshore gas resources, in a televised address marking Arba'een, an annual Shiite religious observance that marks 40 days after the death of Imam al-Hussein in the Battle of Karbala (680 CE).
“The Zionist (Israeli) officials have said that extraction from Karish would happen in September, but they later announced postponing extraction from Karish and this is good, and we don't care about the reason, be it technical or not,” Nasrallah added.
“The red line to us is that there should not be extraction from Karish,” he said.
Nasrallah also revealed that Hezbollah “sent a very strong message” upon learning that there would be a test run at the Israeli-operated Karish gas field, adding that Israel clarified that there would be no real extraction from Karish but rather a process of sending gas from Israel to the gas rig.
“We've been calm over the past weeks because we were giving a real chance to negotiations… Our objective is to enable Lebanon to extract oil and gas and we are not seeking a problem,” Nasrallah added.
He also noted that Hezbollah’s “calm” period coincided with a flurry of threats from Israeli officials.
“Israeli officials should not suspect that they have scared us,” Nasrallah stressed.
“We are following up on the negotiations and all our eyes are on Karish and our missiles are locked on Karish,” he warned.
“As long as extraction has not started, there is a chance for solutions,” Nasrallah went on to say.
“We will not allow that oil and gas be extracted from the disputed Karish field before Lebanon obtains its rightful demands,” Nasrallah emphasized.
“I believe the Israelis, Americans and Europeans have enough information about the seriousness of the resistance’s stance and that this is not psychological warfare nor a joke,” Hezbollah’s leader added.
“Things are calm now… but if a confrontation is imposed (on us), it will be totally inevitable,” Nasrallah said.
Separately, Nasrallah stressed the importance of holding the presidential vote within its constitutional timeframe.
“We support the efforts to find consensus over a president … but there should be not vetoes,” he added.
He also hoped the president and the PM-designate “will be able to form a government soon,” revealing that Hezbollah has “high hopes in this regard.”
“All parties must offer concessions to form a government,” Nasrallah said.
Source: Naharnet
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