Mossad head David Barnea said today (Wednesday) at the meeting of the political-security cabinet that whoever claims that the new maritime border agreement is an achievement for Hezbollah does not understand the situation in Lebanon.
According to a report by journalist Barak Ravid. the head of the Mossad said that the agreement is not good for Hezbollah, because it constitutes a de facto recognition of Israel by Lebanon, something that Hezbollah opposes. Barnea added that Hezbollah began to deal with the issue of the maritime border agreement in a serious way only last May, when the organization recognized that public opinion in Lebanon supports the agreement.
"Hezbollah did not want an agreement with Israel, but realized that in light of the internal political crisis in Lebanon, it has an opportunity to gain points in public opinion," Barnea said.
Israel’s security cabinet voted Wednesday afternoon to back the maritime boundary deal with Lebanon, sending the tentative agreement to the full cabinet for ratification.
Along with Lapid, Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett joined the security cabinet meeting, along with ministers including Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Finance Minister Avidgor Liberman, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Energy Minister Karine Elharrar.
Shaked abstained from the vote, while Bennett backed the agreement, even as he downplayed its significance.”
"There is importance and urgency in reaching the maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon, at this time. The members of the Security Cabinet express their support for the Government of Israel to advance the agreement," Lapid said at the meeting.
After the cabinet's decision was published, Shaked clarified on her Twitter account: "I will start from the end - I insist that if the agreement is not brought to the Knesset for approval, I will oppose it. And for the benefit of those who understood otherwise - the vote that took place today in the cabinet is not a vote on the agreement itself, but on the Prime Minister's announcement at the end of the cabinet meeting. It is of no importance. It was intended for public relations purposes only. That is why I did not agree to take part in it and vote for it."
