Mohammed Awni Abu Own

Tensions have increased during the past few weeks between the Israeli occupation, Lebanon and Hezbollah, following the state of conflict and regret that dominated the negotiation process to define the maritime boundary and to determine the share of each side of the gas fields in the joint area between Lebanese waters and Palestinian waters, which is controlled by the occupation. Also, to discuss the loud tone of the threat of military engagement sometimes or the primacy of using the diplomatic solution mediated by the USA. However, the dimensions of the negotiations actually extended beyond mere agreement.

The negotiating rounds supervised by the USA proved the ferocity of the Lebanese negotiating attitude and their insistence on achieving the rights and demands that the Lebanese see as nonnegotiable constants. Not only this, but the ability of the Lebanese resistance to prevent the occupation from starting the process of gas digging before reaching an agreement. Also, to prove that the expansion of attacking Lebanon's capabilities has become a dream of the past, in light of the development of the capabilities of the Lebanese resistance and its continuous quest to mobilize force, and means of warfare to deter the occupation and confront it whenever it is needed.

In its struggle with the occupation, Lebanon has an important specialty. To wit, the negotiation did not benefit Lebanon but rather came to express very weak society that is suffering from the collapse of the currency and the economy. Thus, it, obtaining its right to the share of wealth and gas, may constitute a lifeboat that would radically change its reality. In addition, economic rights are a sponsored-state by international law, whereas the occupation spares no efforts to violate these laws aggressively.

Historically, experiments have proven that the emergence of this occupation took an expansionist form over long years and that its responses to retreat were not due to its desire to apply the international laws or give people their rights, but rather because its activities became more expensive and exhausting. This was followed by its withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 and from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Otherwise, the Israelis never retreated from occupying one meter of the land they occupied.

The Lebanese resistance has constituted, in the past, an inspiring model for the resistance in Gaza in fighting the occupation and forcing it to withdraw under strike. Today, it brings back this inspiring model to motivate the resistance to regain its rights. Also, to force the occupation to remove its hand from off the gas fields on the coasts of the Gaza Strip, which the former Israeli Minister of Energy, Joseph Partitzky, admitted, the occupation is pulling it out by moving its stockpile to nearby fields controlled by the occupation.

Apart from the thefts carried out by the occupation of Gaza's gas, the aggravating suffering of the Gaza Strip necessitated its resistance and its leaders to force the occupation to ensure that the Strip obtains its wealth of gas, especially given the severe shortage of fuel and electricity supplies that the occupation controls. Not only that, but it marks a great challenge for the industrial and agricultural sectors and for the daily life of the Palestinian citizens there.

Whether the occupation achieves an agreement with Lebanon or not, the message that Gaza should receive is it's time to end the tyranny of the occupation against Palestinian energy resources. Also, the eight Gaza gas wells, if utilized, will cover the needs of the Strip in the field of energy for more than twenty years ahead. On top of that, putting more pressure on the occupation is the only solution to restore the rights of our Palestinian people and force the occupation to retreat.