International Pressure and Diplomacy: Urgent Calls for Lebanese Commitment to UN Resolution 1701

Following the visit of Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, to the western sector of the southern borders and the headquarters of the UNIFIL forces, communications have surged at the highest levels, both internally and externally, urging Lebanese authorities to fulfill their commitments to adhere to Resolution 1701. 

Diplomatic sources told "Nidaa Al-Watan" that as long as Lebanon has declared its commitment to this resolution, it requires action to "assign the army and UNIFIL forces to control the southern borders and for Hezbollah and the Palestinians to withdraw." 

 

The same sources revealed that an international message with this content has reached Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, and Caretaker PM Mikati.

Is there any other way besides assigning the army and UNIFIL to control the southern borders? Diplomatic sources respond that "there is no other plan or solution other than this step. Otherwise, the so-called new rules of engagement practiced by Hezbollah mean the possibility of slipping into war, given the scale of casualties on both sides of the borders."

They added that “to eliminate Hezbollah's justification linking the southern front to Israeli ground entry into Gaza, as well as to nullify Israel's justification for war, Lebanon will obtain through the army and international forces a US international guarantee that war will not occur. However, at present, this guarantee cannot be obtained, legitimizing the possibility that Israel wants war or that Hezbollah wants war at Iran's request." 

The sources emphasized that dropping the justifications of both Israel and Hezbollah would be achieved by having the army and UNIFIL control the borders to provide an international guarantee for peace in Lebanon, whereby the international community would bear the responsibility for keeping Lebanon safe from war.

The sources concluded by saying that France pointed out that there is an "inevitable blow that Israel will strike against Lebanon, and there is no way to avoid it except by assigning the army and international forces to control the southern borders, in implementation of Resolution 1701." However, they have not yet received a response from the Lebanese authorities, causing dissatisfaction from the French presidency.

In a related context, Mikati held a working meeting with ministers to follow up on the results of the visit of Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to Syria and the situation in the south and Gaza.

Simultaneously with the international message to Berri and Mikati, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah held a meeting with Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Ziad Nakhleh, and Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri. 

According to a statement distributed by the party along with a photo of the meeting, discussions revolved around the steps that must be taken to achieve a "victory for the resistance" and halt the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.

An agreement was reached "to continue coordination and constant monitoring of developments on a daily and permanent basis." Observers highlighted Nasrallah's meeting with the Palestinian leaders, seeing it as an "indication that the leaders of the axis are moving safely and naturally, not in a combat or full-war situation but dividing their time between the fronts and political negotiations and following up on essential issues."

Observers also noted the publication of the message that Nasrallah directed to the media units and institutions within the party, urging them to "adopt the name 'Martyr on the Road to Jerusalem' for the martyrs who have fallen since October 7." 
These observers mentioned that this slogan traces back to leader in the party, Imad Moughnieh, who was assassinated by Israel in Damascus in 2008.

According to information, the media relations within the party have instructed their affiliated journalists "not to continue discussing 'red lines.' If Israel exceeds them in the war, the party and the axis will open up other fronts."