Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, emphasized the League’s reliance on the wisdom of Lebanese leaders and their awareness of the severe challenges facing Lebanon politically and on the ground.
He expressed the Arab League’s readiness to help Lebanon navigate this difficult period safely.
This statement came at the end of Ambassador Hossam Zaki’s official visit to Lebanon as a personal envoy of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
During his visit, Zaki held meetings with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and other political and parliamentary leaders, representing various components of the Lebanese political spectrum. He also met with the Lebanese Army Commander.
The Assistant Secretary-General described the visit as a gesture of solidarity with Lebanon and its people.
The visit had two main aspects. The first focused on the escalation in southern Lebanon, where the country faces significant challenges threatening its security and stability, as well as the broader region’s stability if the conflict on the southern border expands.
He reaffirmed the Arab League‘s solidarity with Lebanon, highlighting that this stance is supported by the Arab League Council’s resolutions.
Ambassador Zaki underscored the importance of adhering to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to contain the current escalation.
He noted that since the outbreak of the brutal war on Gaza, the Secretary-General had warned of the risks of this conflict spreading to other regional countries, including Lebanon.
He stressed the need for the international community to take responsibility and work towards halting the ongoing war, as containing the current escalation in southern Lebanon requires a complete ceasefire, including stopping confrontations in southern Lebanon.
The second aspect of the visit, equally important, addressed the presidential vacancy that has persisted for over 19 months.
During his meetings with Lebanese leaders, Zaki emphasized the necessity of breaking the deadlock in this crucial matter, urging everyone to prioritize national interests over other considerations and to pave the way for resuming the constitutional process of electing a president.
He highlighted the gravity of the current situation, noting that it exacerbates the challenges facing all state institutions and limits their ability to fulfill their duties to the Lebanese people.
