Caretaker Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, on Tuesday held a meeting with the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who departed without making any statements.
Following the meeting, Bou Habib affirmed that “the Shebaa Farms remain a fundamental cornerstone in the comprehensive solution and the cessation of tension in southern Lebanon, which cannot be bypassed.”
‘The Lebanese Army is a crucial partner in ensuring security and stability in southern Lebanon, and Israel’s targeting of it with 34 attacks since the beginning of the Gaza war undermines peacekeeping and security efforts,’ Bou Habib added.
In a conversation with journalists, he stated, “What matters to us is a complete agreement on the borders and de-escalation in the south. It seems there’s a US initiative, meaning for us to resolve our border issue with Israel after its withdrawal from all the occupied territories, including the Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba hills. If this happens, we would have transi
tioned from the current ongoing conflict to a quasi-final resolution.”
Regarding the arrival of US mediator, Amos Hochstein, to Lebanon this week and the messages he carries, especially regarding the implementation of Resolution 1701, Bou Habib said, “I don’t know. We’ll see. We want peace, and Israel must stop its violations and aggressions against us and withdraw from all our occupied lands.”
When asked about Hezbollah’s stance that “there is no talk of halting war before stopping military operations in the Gaza Strip,” Bou Habib responded, “This is Hezbollah’s stance, and they have the right to it. As a Lebanese state, we have initiated negotiations facing two problems: first, the war in Gaza and ending it, and second, the absence of a president in our country. We cannot fully and comprehensively demarcate the borders if we don’t have a president. However, this does not mean that we cannot negotiate because it reduces the existing tension in southern Lebanon.
Responding to a question about the fear of a
comprehensive war breaking out from southern Lebanon, he commented, “Certainly, especially with the daily Israeli threats. We have informed the international officials we’ve met about our request for Israelis to tone down their statements that create tension in Lebanon.”
Regarding the meeting atmosphere with Lacroix, Bou Habib said, “We discussed all these mentioned aspects along with UNIFIL’s crucial role. We’ve also discussed the role of the Lebanese Army.’
However, Bou Habib denied that the topic of presidential elections was part of his discussions during his tour abroad, affirming that “all the countries have emphasized the importance of electing a president to ensure comprehensive action.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon