Germany pledges support to Lebanese Army for border control enhancement

During her visit to Beirut on Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pledged to provide 15 million euros (16 million dollars) to support the Lebanese army amid growing concerns over escalating tensions on the borders with Israel in the aftermath of the Gaza war.

Baerbock, who visited Beirut, explained that the aid, earmarked for purchasing fuel and implementing medium-term measures, including training soldiers in border surveillance, aims to assist the Lebanese army in securing the southern borders with Israel more effectively.

Speaking on the sidelines of her visit to a German frigate in the port of Beirut, she emphasized that the army must be capable of exercising "effective control" in the region to "contain armed militias and terrorist organizations."

The German minister, who held several meetings in Beirut, including with the caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Army Commander Joseph Aoun, warned that any escalation of the conflict "would be a catastrophe for both countries."

She called on Hezbollah to withdraw from the border area with Israel, as stipulated by UN resolution 1701, emphasizing that "the war in Gaza should not be used against Hamas as a pretext to open another front and provoke a regional war."

Resolution 1701, which ended a destructive war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, strengthened the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), with Germany among the participating countries tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between the two sides in southern Lebanon.

AFP