Visit me once a year”… Or has the state moved beyond observing the South from afar to taking control from the middle?
In Nabatieh, the capital of Jabal Amel and the last of its steadfast cities still standing after major urban centers such as Bint Jbeil and Khiam were occupied, the state appeared in full force — from the highest levels of leadership to the army command and security agencies.
With security arrangements paving the way, the city opened its heart to visitors and breathed easier through the presence of the state, opening its doors to those arriving with a promise: “We have not abandoned you, Nabatieh.”
The same applies to every town where residents remain hopeful of liberating the occupied areas and redeploying there, in line with the pledge made by Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal to the residents who gathered to welcome the delegation. They conveyed to him, as well as to President Joseph Aoun, their pain, concerns and hopes that the state would stand by them, provide them with the means to endure and remain, and protect them.
Although the visit was unexpected, its significance went far beyond appearances. It carried messages in several directions, the most immediate being an embrace of Nabatieh’s residents after hearing their call, and the strengthening of the Lebanese Army’s and other security agencies’ presence there.
It also sent a message to the Israelis stationed on the city’s outskirts: the land is a national cause that the state cannot abandon.
And beyond that, the message extended to Rome: there will be no new negotiations with Israel, while Lebanon remains committed to the principles of Israeli withdrawal, the return of prisoners and displaced people, and reconstruction, according to the president.
The brief visit ended with the presence of a representative of the Amal Movement and the absence of Hezbollah, widening the significance of the scene — from reconnecting the southern front with the state and affirming that there are no new negotiations with Israel, to the statement by a U.S. State Department official that the next round of talks will be held in Rome next month.
The U.S. official also revealed that a meeting between the two countries’ ambassadors will take place next week to discuss developments and implement the trilateral framework, described as the only effective mechanism for restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and Israel’s security.
Lebanese political sources told Al Jadeed that the bilateral ambassadorial meeting is unlikely to produce tangible results, but rather comes within U.S. efforts to maintain work on the framework agreement — and, more importantly, to prepare for the October round.
Before reaching Rome, however, the focus shifted toward New Delhi, where Lebanon received a share of attention from the BRICS countries. Lebanon was mentioned in the summit’s final statement, which called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and condemned violations of the ceasefire and Lebanese sovereignty.
All BRICS members were united by concern over what is happening across the region, whether in the straits or along the shores. They reaffirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy, and stressed the need to engage in conflict-prevention efforts that address root causes.
They also sounded the alarm that war in the Middle East does not serve the shared interests of BRICS countries, particularly their common interest in maintaining the smooth flow of global trade, supply chains and energy.
Today, another crisis has been added: the Bab el-Mandeb, and the Houthis’ control over it, creating — together with the Strait of Hormuz — a vice-like grip on maritime shipping routes.
From Ireland, and President Donald Trump’s visit there amid a large protest against his presence, Trump commented on what is happening at the “Red Sea gateway,” saying that the Houthis had asked him not to intervene.
He then returned to one of his old files: Iran’s nuclear program, once again using it as leverage after failing to achieve his war objectives, while setting a date for its end after the midterm elections — a move seen as looking forward to secure the Republican vote.