Thread by @NoamRaydan

#Lebanon: My new work for @amwajmedia on the current disorder in Lebanon’s energy sector: what triggered it, immediate solution to allow discharge of more fuel ships- ready to be offloaded- &Hezbollah’s narrative of need for Iranian oil in light of this: bit.ly/3mgifTI

I focus 1) on the abdication of a govt body that has long presented itself as a "market regulator", & the distribution+ sales problems compounded by the state's short-sighted fiscal policies, causing delays in unloading oil tankers that have continuously called on #Lebanon.

2)Given the popular anger with the energy crisis, Hezbollah has found a way to create a narrative for its support base that justifies the need for Iran’s oil. It has also succeeded in presenting itself as a party with solutions- regardless of their impact on the national level.

In light of politically motivated solutions Hezbollah& US have presented for Lebanon's energy problems, the immediate solution in reality is an agreement between the central and govt (re subsidies/new prices) to allow the discharge of more fuel shipments ready to be offloaded.

And I'm reupping here an article I wrote on this same topic in July 2020. forbes.com/sites/noamrayd…