In a notable diplomatic incident, Lebanon’s acting Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, summoned the British Ambassador, Hamish Cowell, delivering a formal protest note regarding the recent visit of British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, to Beirut.
Bypassing the Foreign Ministry
According to Lebanon’s official news agency, Bou Habib’s summoning of the British Ambassador stemmed from Cameron’s failure to coordinate with the Lebanese Foreign Ministry during his latest visit.
This development follows the British government’s announcement that Cameron concluded his visit to Lebanon on February 1st, which lasted for a single day.
This visit marks Cameron’s first official trip to Lebanon as Foreign Secretary, following his previous visit as Prime Minister in September 2015, and his fourth to the Middle East in this role.
During his stay, Cameron met with several high-profile Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, and the Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Aroldo Lazaro.
The British Foreign Secretary discussed his concerns regarding escalating tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border during these meetings, emphasizing the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting efforts to de-escalate violence.
Preventing a Full-Scale Conflict
This incident marks the second time Lebanese authorities have summoned a British diplomatic figure due to non-compliance with diplomatic norms and failure to notify the Lebanese Foreign Ministry about an official visit. The first such occurrence took place in March 2023.
This comes amid intensified international efforts to prevent a full-scale conflict between Lebanon and Israel and to manage the border situation between the two countries, especially in light of the ongoing war in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, southern Lebanon has seen continuous clashes, leading to the displacement of approximately 100,000 Lebanese from border villages.
The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have resulted in over 130 casualties, including around 100 Hezbollah fighters supported by Iran.
