Israeli talk of manipulating Lebanese elections exposed

• 

Israeli Channel 12 Arab affairs commentator, Ehud Yaari, announced that there are several ways to influence the results of the Lebanese parliamentary elections, in collaboration working with the Americans, the French, and the Gulf states.

Yaari said it is possible to influence the results by offering financial and professional aid to electoral campaigns and infiltrating the ranks as a silent mediator to give a lending hand to politicians who find it difficult to form joint electoral lists, as well as creating an appropriate atmosphere. He stressed that by doing so, Hezbollah's opponents can make breakthroughs and even win.

He added that "the Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah's Christian partner, may lose half of its seats to the Lebanese Forces," noting that "most of the FPM’s seats may go to the party of Samir Geagea,” whom he proudly called “Israel’s” friend in the “First Lebanon War."

The Israeli commentator also indicated that "the withdrawal of former Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, created a sectarian vacuum, especially among the Sunni community in Lebanon," claiming that, "Nasrallah will find it difficult to bring Sunni candidates into Lebanese parliament."

He added that most of the Lebanese who will vote from abroad are Christian, adding that "independent figures will try to compete in the Shiite electoral districts against the list of Hezbollah and Amal Movement."

He explained that the Druze’s battle is between Prince Talal Arslan and Walid Jumblatt, whom he described as “an old enemy of Hezbollah.”

Yaari indicated that the Lebanese parliamentary elections will be taking place amid a comprehensive economic collapse, especially after the explosion of the port of Beirut, where the residents of Lebanon live without electricity, coupled with the boycott of the Gulf countries, refusal be granted aid or loans, and faltered negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.