BEIRUT (MEMO/Arab News) – The head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas is expected to arrive in Beirut at the head of a delegation.
Ismail Haniyeh is scheduled to meet with the Secretary-General of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
The visit of the delegation to Beirut coincides with a high level of tension between the Lebanese resistance movement and the occupying regime, against the backdrop of the regime beginning to take gas from Lebanese territorial waters. Nasrallah has threatened to target the ship working for the Zionist regime in the Mediterranean.
At the same time, tension is increasing between the occupying regime and the resistance factions in Gaza, especially after continued Zionist violations in occupied Al-Quds, with police protecting illegal settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the bombing of Palestinian resistance sites in Gaza a few days ago. The latter followed the downing of a Zionist surveillance balloon by Palestinians.
Haniyeh’s visit to Beirut may be within the context of coordination between Hamas and Hezbollah to face the threats arising from the Zionist escalation. This requires setting a common vision and coordinating military and security action between the resistance groups. Several reports have mentioned a joint military command and operations room that was established by the resistance axis to confront the aggression.
This was activated during the Zionist aggression in May last year.
On Monday, Haniyeh called for adopting four important variables, which he said must be dealt with to build a Palestinian strategic vision. This came in a video speech at a conference organized by the Ummah University in Gaza.
In his speech, Haniyeh stressed the readiness of Hamas to unite and overcome the internal division, “even if this requires building a Palestinian national front that protects the principles, fosters the resistance, and forms a reference on the path to rebuilding the PLO if general unity falters.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State on Monday announced it was offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Haseeb Hadwan, a senior official in Hezbollah’s General Secretariat, and his office manager, Ali al-Shaer.
Both men are accused of using the international financial system to transfer money to Lebanon, where it is used to finance the resistance movement. On September 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hadwan and al-Shaer as Specially Designated Global Terrorists in accordance with Executive Order 13224.
As a result, all of their property and interests within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and it is generally prohibited for U.S. persons to transact with either man.
The move forms part of the larger U.S. effort to crackdown on Hezbollah.