Israeli forces fire teargas at Lebanese MP, journalists at border amid tensions

A Lebanese lawmaker and several journalists were injured on Saturday after Israeli forces fired teargas at them on the Lebanon-Israel border, amid weeks of increasing tensions between the two states.

Israeli forces fired smoke and sound bombs at MP Qassem Hashem, a member of the predominantly Shia Amal Movement, as well as several reporters and cameramen present as they approached the border fence in the village of Mazraat Bastra.

Minor injuries were reported.

Hashem, a representative of a southern constituency, was being interviewed live on air, amid weeks of tensions between Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and Israel.

العدو الاسرائيلي يعتدي على النائب قاسم هاشم وعدد من الصحافيين عند حدود مزارع شبعا بقنابل مسيّلة للدموع.#وقائع pic.twitter.com/Qwnw54iMW9

— وقائع (@waqa2e3) July 15, 2023

Translation: The Israeli enemy assaults MP Qassem Hashem and a number of journalists at the Shebaa Farms border with tear gas.

Hashem later spoke to The New Arab’s sister site about what happened.

"We were in the vicinity of the Shebaa Farms today with the media, to speak of the true identity of this land, that it is Lebanese," he told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, in reference to the Shebaa Farms area, which is claimed by Lebanon but occupied by Israel.

Hezbollah has erected tents in response to Israel building a fence around the border town of Ghajar in the area.

"We reached a point where the Israeli enemy was, prompting them to fire sound and smoke bombs directly at us, which led to shrapnel flying and caused minor injuries. I was slightly injured, and there were some cases of shortness of breath as a result of the smoke," he added.

Hashem said that he would continue campaigning for Lebanon’s sovereignty over the Shebaa Farms.

"We will not be silent about what is happening and we will not be complacent, but everything will be in [good] timing."

On Friday night, Israeli forces reportedly fired at protesters on the Lebanese side to disperse them after they approached the border fence and began hurling stones at Israeli soldiers, according to Israel’s Army Radio.

Why tensions are rising along the Lebanese-Israeli border https://t.co/NrgORkqkhe

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) July 14, 2023

Hezbollah has said it was committed to keeping the tents in the Shebaa Farms and liberating the area, as well as Ghajar, a town which straddles the Lebanese-Israeli border.

As part of the UN Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war between both sides, Israel is compelled to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar, which has not happened.

Rather, it began building a wall around the town and this has provoked anger from across the Lebanese political spectrum.

Lebanon filed a complaint to the UN over what it has described as Israel's encroachment in Ghajar.

The entire border dispute has worried observers about a new war breaking out, 17 years since the last major conflict.

Skirmishes have taken place since, but the Lebanon-Israel frontier has remained relatively calm.