US envoy Hochstein urges Lebanon's neutrality in Gaza war

The US Presidential Advisor Amos Hochstein suddenly visited Lebanon on Tuesday.

He conveyed to the Lebanese officials the White House's keenness on Lebanon's neutrality in the Gaza war.

This article was originally published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan. 

He also expressed a wish for Lebanon's "neutrality" in the diplomatic "war" that has arisen around the Arab decision to be issued at the exceptional Arab summit scheduled for the coming Saturday.

Hochstein further expressed interest in the official Lebanese position in this summit and the necessity for it not to align with covering for Hamas.

However, it appears that the current focus in Hochstein's discussions is on "opening a humanitarian corridor to Gaza after reaching a ceasefire," which is jeopardized by the Israeli rejection.

The US envoy also informed his hosts that "efforts are underway to reach a ceasefire in the South, similar to the ongoing discussions regarding the Gaza ceasefire."

According to some sources, one of the figures who met Hochstein told him that "what is happening in southern Lebanon is fundamentally the result of Israel's decision to wage war on Gaza, and it is Washington's responsibility to persuade its ally to halt this war to ease tensions everywhere." But Hochstein did not comment.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Beirut announced that Hochstein expressed during his meetings "deep US concern for Lebanon and its people during this challenging time."

He expressed "sincere condolences for the civilian lives lost" and listened to "the concerns of Lebanese officials and conveyed what the United States is doing to address them."

Furthermore, he reiterated that "the United States does not want to see the conflict in Gaza spreading." He emphasized the importance of "restoring calm along the southern border as a top priority for both Lebanon and Israel."

He reminded "all parties that Security Council Resolution 1701 is the best mechanism for achieving this goal" and called for "its full implementation." He then stressed support for the Lebanese army and the need to prevent rocket launches from the area of the international force's operations.

Simultaneously, the southern front remained tense and witnessed Israeli airstrikes in several areas along this front, from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa in the east.

Moreover, the military wing of Hezbollah announced in a statement that, in response to the targeting of "one of the positions of the Islamic Resistance in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah on Monday night," they targeted "Israel's artillery positions in occupied Palestine."

In this context, the UNIFIL commander in Lebanon, General Andrea Tenenti, once again called on "all parties to cease fire and refrain from any actions that might endanger civilians or United Nations personnel or push the region into conflict."

He considered that "the possibility of the situation along the Blue Line getting out of control is present."

In Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech, "If Hezbollah decides to join the war, it will have made a mistake of a lifetime."The US Presidential Advisor Amos Hochstein suddenly visited Lebanon on Tuesday.

He conveyed to the Lebanese officials the White House's keenness on Lebanon's neutrality in the Gaza war.

This article was originally published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan. 

He also expressed a wish for Lebanon's "neutrality" in the diplomatic "war" that has arisen around the Arab decision to be issued at the exceptional Arab summit scheduled for the coming Saturday.

Hochstein further expressed interest in the official Lebanese position in this summit and the necessity for it not to align with covering for Hamas.

However, it appears that the current focus in Hochstein's discussions is on "opening a humanitarian corridor to Gaza after reaching a ceasefire," which is jeopardized by the Israeli rejection.

The US envoy also informed his hosts that "efforts are underway to reach a ceasefire in the South, similar to the ongoing discussions regarding the Gaza ceasefire."

According to some sources, one of the figures who met Hochstein told him that "what is happening in southern Lebanon is fundamentally the result of Israel's decision to wage war on Gaza, and it is Washington's responsibility to persuade its ally to halt this war to ease tensions everywhere." But Hochstein did not comment.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Beirut announced that Hochstein expressed during his meetings "deep US concern for Lebanon and its people during this challenging time."

He expressed "sincere condolences for the civilian lives lost" and listened to "the concerns of Lebanese officials and conveyed what the United States is doing to address them."

Furthermore, he reiterated that "the United States does not want to see the conflict in Gaza spreading." He emphasized the importance of "restoring calm along the southern border as a top priority for both Lebanon and Israel."

He reminded "all parties that Security Council Resolution 1701 is the best mechanism for achieving this goal" and called for "its full implementation." He then stressed support for the Lebanese army and the need to prevent rocket launches from the area of the international force's operations.

Simultaneously, the southern front remained tense and witnessed Israeli airstrikes in several areas along this front, from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa in the east.

Moreover, the military wing of Hezbollah announced in a statement that, in response to the targeting of "one of the positions of the Islamic Resistance in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah on Monday night," they targeted "Israel's artillery positions in occupied Palestine."

In this context, the UNIFIL commander in Lebanon, General Andrea Tenenti, once again called on "all parties to cease fire and refrain from any actions that might endanger civilians or United Nations personnel or push the region into conflict."

He considered that "the possibility of the situation along the Blue Line getting out of control is present."

In Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech, "If Hezbollah decides to join the war, it will have made a mistake of a lifetime."