Lebanon’s foreign minister meets with UN, French and US envoys to prevent all-out war
BEIRUT: Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib met on Friday with French Ambassador Herva Magro, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and US Ambassador Lisa Johnson.
The Minister reiterated Lebanon’s call for the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701.
During her visit to UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, Hennis-Plasschaert said there was “no inevitability (of a major conflict with Israel).”
Also on Friday, it was announced that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will make shuttle visits to Lebanon, Israel and the West Bank.
Concerned that Israel’s war on Gaza could spread to the entire region, US President Joe Biden dispatched his special envoy Amos Hochstein last week to launch a new round of diplomatic talks. In talks with Lebanon and Israel on Tuesday, Hochstein called for “urgent” de-escalation and told both sides that “the risk of all-out war remains and must be avoided.”
There is widespread belief in Lebanon that Hochstein has convinced Israel to refrain from escalating its military actions against Lebanon for the time being.
At a meeting with Israeli officials, including National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, in Washington on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of “avoiding further escalation in Lebanon and reaching a diplomatic solution that allows Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes,” a statement said.
According to his spokesman Matthew Miller, Blinken also emphasized America’s “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”
During his talks in Beirut, Hochstein reportedly assured Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati that Biden’s proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would be welcomed and that Qatar was working to implement it.
Hochstein also reportedly told Mikati: “In the war between Lebanon and Israel, everything is under control and positive.”
Former Lebanese ambassador to Washington Riad Tabbarah described the war threats as “mere outbursts.”
He told Arab News: “Since the start of military operations on the southern front about nine months ago, Lebanese people have been hearing that war is imminent, but it never comes.
“It is common in diplomatic negotiations that both sides face pressure and threats,” he continued. “It appears that there are numerous and varied negotiations going on behind the scenes, including talks between the Americans and Iranians and between the Americans and Hezbollah.”
Tabbarah acknowledged the recklessness of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israeli president has “two options – either war or prison. And he is under considerable pressure, especially from the families of the hostages.”
Tabbarah noted that there are limits to what military action can achieve. “We still remember when former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon exceeded these limits in 1982 when he chose the Litani Line as his target. However, he went beyond it and reached Beirut. Then international powers joined forces to bring him back to the Litani Line.”
“Nobody has an interest in war,” he continued. “Americans, Europeans and Iranians are working in the opposite direction. The general trend is to avoid escalation to open war.”
Military operations on the Lebanese front declined significantly on Friday, although the outskirts of Naqoura in the western sector came under Israeli artillery fire, causing a fire in a house. In the morning, an Israeli military attack targeted the town of Wazzani.
Hezbollah made a series of announcements about its operations, which were “targeted at specific objectives within the framework of the rules of engagement.”
Hezbollah attacked the Ramtha and Samaka sites in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shouba Hills, the Zabadin site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms, and carried out a drone airstrike on the Ras Al-Naqoura naval base, targeting sites where Israeli military personnel were stationed.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that as of June 19, a total of 1,774 victims had been reported from Israeli attacks, including 432 deaths.