Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib, affirmed that Lebanon does not want war and has never sought it, nor does it seek it today, as it has tasted its bitterness during the 15-year war.
Bou Habib stated in a speech before the United Nations Security Council on the situation in the Middle East: "Allow me on this occasion to express Lebanon's deep appreciation for the role and sacrifices of the UNIFIL forces, operating under the United Nations, and my country's commitment to their work and contribution since their presence in establishing security and stability in southern Lebanon."
He pointed out that the current problems in the region reaffirm the importance of the constructive role of UNIFIL and the United Nations as a safe haven for small countries like Lebanon to protect its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
"Today, after more than 75 years since the beginning of the major crisis in the Middle East, the establishment of Israel on Palestinian land, and the displacement of more than half of its Palestinian population to neighboring countries, we are still looking for solutions whenever the conflict intensifies, including the events witnessed by the region since October 7 last year," he said.
Bou Habib stressed that wars, hostilities, and ongoing tragedies for at least 75 years have proven that a final solution to the Palestinian issue is necessary because it is the key to peace and the gateway to security in the Middle East. He called on the wise and rational people of the world to pressure Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian territories, in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative arising from the 2002 Arab Summit, which recognized Israel in exchange for ending the occupation and establishing a two-state solution with the right of existence for the Palestinian people in their independent state, with its capital in East Jerusalem.
He considered that Israel's actions in turning Gaza into rubble and eliminating Hamas, if achieved, would give rise to more extremist organizations determined to eliminate Israel from existence. He questioned whether the killing of more than 25,000 Palestinians, mostly children, women, and the elderly, is not enough. He criticized the Western world's silence on the mass killings in Gaza, which has tarnished its image in defending human rights.
Bou Habib emphasized that Security Council Resolution 1701 achieved relative stability since the end of the 2006 July War, and there have been no military operations threatening regional peace and security along the Blue Line, known in Lebanon as the line of Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, until October 7, 2023. The Gaza war disrupted the relative stability witnessed in southern Lebanon, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of residents from Lebanese villages to safer northern areas.