Lebanese Political Activist Naufal Daou: The UAE Develops Its Economy, Is Part Of The World Order Despite Iran's Occupation Of Its Three Islands, Whereas Lebanon Is Destroying Its Economy And Global Relations Over Shebaa Farms

In a May 5, 2023 show on LBC TV (Lebanon), Lebanese political activist Naufal Daou compared Lebanon's attitude regarding the Shebaa Farms on the border between Israel and Lebanon to the UAE's attitude regarding the Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb islands, which are occupied by Iran. He said that instead of confronting Iran and firing rockets at it at the expense of developing its economy and being part of the world order, the UAE has opened up to the world and maintains relations with Iran without relinquishing its claim to the islands. In contrast, he said that Lebanon's focus on the Shebaa Farms has caused it to waste its resources, to destroy its economy and diplomatic relations, and to fail to abide by the requirements of the Arab order.

Naufal Daou: "The UAE has three islands occupied by Iran, right?"

Interviewer: "Yes."

Daou: "Has the occupation of these three islands led the UAE to say: 'We don not want to have any economy or development, we do not want to open up to the world, we do not want anything, we want to channel all our resources to shooting at Iran, until it gives those three islands back?'

"This is one possible mentality. But see how the [UAE] acted. Their relations with Iran ebb and flow. At no point have the relinquished their sovereignty over those islands, but they have not pinned their entire future on those three uninhabited islands. They did not say: 'To hell with our economy...' No. They said: 'We want to be part of the world order. We want to be part of the new Arab order that strives to establish a new world order, so that we can, through this new order, force Iran to give back what is ours.'

"What are we doing, on the other hand? For the sake of the Shebaa Farms... We shoot, fire rockets, send drones, drive the whole world crazy, block our economy and our international relations, and tie ourselves to this 'vast' resistance axis, and then we want to recover from our economic crisis.

"It's impossible! Impossible! These two mentalities are mutually exclusive. If a country wants to join the EU, it has to abide by certain admission requirements. The same is true with us. If we want to be part of the Arab order, we must abide by certain requirements. Do we abide by them? No."