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Diplomatic efforts to keep Lebanon on the margin of the raging conflict between Hamas and Israel are gaining momentum, as caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati started a tour of Arab countries which he kicked off in Qatar on Sunday, amid escalating violence on the southern border with Israel.
Mikati’s visit to Doha on Sunday, October 29, where he held talks with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, follows a series of contacts and diplomatic initiatives aimed at pressuring Lebanon to stay clear of regional tensions.
A source close to Mikati informed This is Beirut that the visit was part of a broader plan by PM Mikati to tour several Arab countries.
“The main objective is to engage with Arab and international efforts to bring an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza and prevent the potential expansion of the war to Lebanon,” the source said. The source added that the schedule of Mikati’s next visits remains contingent on the circumstances in Lebanon as well as the commitments of the countries he plans to visit.
Mikati’s tour started in Qatar due to the Gulf state’s instrumental role in Lebanon, by offering continuous support and aid. Doha’s funding was fundamental in the reconstruction of south Lebanon villages and infrastructure destroyed during the 2006 war.
After Doha, Mikati’s Arab tour is set to continue, with stops in Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait, according to the source.
Lebanon’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the region were echoed during meetings with the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka. Lebanese officials emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of the ongoing conflict and the need for a two-state solution that respects the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said that the US Under Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf, will be stopping in Lebanon as part of a regional tour this week that includes the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and Israel.
The visit, if it takes place, will be within the framework of the diplomatic pressures that have been recorded since October 7, in order not to escalate tensions and contain the confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel on the southern border.
France’s Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, is also scheduled to visit Lebanon on Wednesday, November 1 for talks with Lebanese officials on the situation in the South. Moreover, he is expected to inspect the French contingent operating with the UN Interim Forces in south Lebanon.
These diplomatic efforts come in response to rising border tensions between Lebanon and Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict earlier this month.
The focus of these efforts is to deliver a clear message: Lebanon should avoid a comprehensive confrontation with Israel and continue diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Nonetheless, the situation along the Lebanese-Israeli border remains tense despite the possibility of a large-scale conflict.
