Amid escalating confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah in recent weeks, Lebanon’s Acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati has stressed that the only solution is diplomacy. In an interview with Al Arabiya on Sunday, he stated, “A diplomatic solution is still on the table.”
Mikati added that “the Lebanese army must be deployed south of the Litani River.” He further emphasized the importance of sparing bloodshed and destruction and implementing UN Resolution 1701 in Lebanon, asserting, “We adhere to Resolution 1701 because it grants us stability.” He also noted that Hezbollah has agreed to Resolution 1701, although he revealed that there have been no communications with Hezbollah since mid-last month.
Resolution 1701 was established to halt hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah after a devastating war in the summer of 2006. It also stipulates Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanon, bolstering the presence of UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, and limiting military presence in the border area to the Lebanese army and international forces.
Since September, Israel has escalated its bombings across various regions in Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah bases. The bombing quickly expanded beyond the southern suburbs of Beirut and the south and Bekaa regions to include other areas in Mount Lebanon and the north, even reaching the heart of the capital. In early October, Israeli forces launched what they described as a “limited ground operation” on the border between Israel and Lebanon, penetrating some towns with the aim of pushing Hezbollah north of the Litani River to create a buffer zone free of militants, allowing settlers who fled the confrontations to return to their homes.
