Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati affirmed on Monday that he is working on a “diplomatic solution to the situation in the South, which might be associated with halting the aggression on Gaza.”
In an interview with journalist Mona Saliba on Al-Hurra, Mikati emphasized that what is required is “reviving and implementing the ceasefire agreement, restoring the situation in the South to what it was pre-1967, returning the Shebaa Farms to Lebanese sovereignty from before its gradual occupation and reverting to the previous withdrawal line according to the ceasefire agreement.”
He disclosed that US envoy Amos Hochstein will visit Beirut this week, and that “we will discuss all these issues with him.”
War on Lebanon
When asked about the warnings Lebanon receives regarding the possibility of war, the PM reiterated that since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, the government has been seeking “permanent stability and a call for a permanent peaceful solution.”
“We have informed everyone of our readiness to engage in negotiations to achieve long-term stability in southern Lebanon and commit to international decisions and Resolution 1701. When Israel entered Lebanon in 1978, a decision was issued by the United Nations Security Council to reapply the ceasefire agreement. We are under international legitimacy, and we demand that it be implemented on everyone and that its international agreements and resolutions be executed. We have gained the confidence of Parliament on this,” he said.
According to the Prime Minister, the threats the state has been receiving are to push the “withdrawal of Hezbollah to the north of the Litani river.” However, he emphasized that “this is part of the discussion that should also include Israel’s full withdrawal from occupied territory and a stop to its daily attacks on Lebanon and violations of Lebanese sovereignty.”
He revealed that they have received an offer regarding withdrawal to the north of the Litani, but they have “insisted on a comprehensive solution, including the issue related to Hezbollah’s arms.”
Read more
Resolution 1701
Mikati reminded that Resolution 1701 stipulates “enhancing the role of the army and cooperating with UNIFIL to enable it to fulfill its role.” He noted that this suggests “increasing the number of the army’s personnel to 10 thousand and strengthening its capabilities.”
“We are ready to cooperate,” he said, “provided necessary assurances are given to prevent the continuous Israeli violations.”
When asked about the alleged deployment of German forces on the borders, Mikati said that he “wasn’t informed of such a proposal,” adding that the German foreign minister will arrive to Lebanon tomorrow.
Presidential Dossier
The PM stated that in his opinion, while there is “international movement” on the dossier, the situation in the region overshadows the issue of the presidential election, and there will be no progress on it for the time being.
“If the war remains open, I personally don’t think there will be progress on the presidential dossier,” Mikati said, adding that “there is movement within the Arab and international Quintet committees, which will be holding a meeting soon. The French envoy (Jean-Yves Le Drian) will also be intervening, and I hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will precede progress on the presidential dossier.”
Cyberattack
Regarding the cyber breach issue at Beirut Airport, Mikati pointed out that “the investigation into this matter has not concluded yet, and specialized officers are following up on the issue.”
He said that in the midst of the globally recognized technological war, the “possibility of breaches exists, but what matters is uncovering all the details and restoring the situation to normalcy.”
He stated that “any breach does not mean that security is unavailable, as the airport security apparatus is carrying out its duties in cooperation with all relevant parties.”
Read more
Military Appointments
Regarding the appointments in the Lebanese Army, the PM stated that “communications are ongoing, and the matter will be brought to the Cabinet at the appropriate time.”
He assured that their priority lies in “appointing a chief of staff.” As for other appointments, “They will be necessarily linked to the issue of appointing the Internal Security Forces Command Council, and we are not inclined to challenge anyone,” he added.
Mikati pointed out that there is “somewhat of an agreement on the proposed name for the chief of staff position, but it requires the Army Commander’s opinion. If the Defense Minister has a suggestion for a name, he should present it.”
