Caretaker Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Thursday that Lebanon recorded "35,000 Israeli violations" of UNSC Resolution 1701, including "violations of Lebanon’s air, land, and sea sovereignty," according to the state-run National News Agency.
Mikati did not specify the timeframe in which the violations were recorded, but the figure is in line with that given last week by former Head of General Security Abbas Ibrahim, who put the number of violations of the resolution since its adoption at "almost 30,000."
UNSC 1701, which put an end to the July 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, provides for the latter's withdrawal north of the Litani River and the deployment of the Lebanese Army and a multinational force in the border region.
Since Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Israel's war with Hamas began in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily cross-border fighting.
In a Zoom call with the American Task Force for Lebanon, which is a nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, Mikati reiterated Lebanon's commitment to UNSC Resolution 1701.
"The Lebanese government is working with the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to maintain stability in the region and prevent any further escalation. It is necessary for all parties concerned to respect the rules of engagement and international law to prevent any further conflict," Mikati said.
Mikati says that the Gaza war and its repercussions could lead to further political and economic destabilization in Lebanon which may affect "Lebanon’s ability to manage its internal affairs and increase security challenges." He added that this is why "all parties concerned need to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict and address the root causes of the war in Gaza to prevent further spillover effects in the region."
He also gave some insights about his meeting with US special envoy Amos Hochstein. During a visit to Beirut more than three weeks ago, Hochstein suggested proposals to calm the situation in southern Lebanon.
"Hochstein was clear in saying that what is required is a diplomatic solution that allows the people of the south to return to their cities and villages, as well as the residents of northern Israel. We hope that we can continue to work to reach a solution that allows everyone to live in safety and return to their homeland," Mikati said.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, 86,874 people living in southern Lebanon were displaced as a result of the ongoing hostilities. On the Israeli side of the border, 40,000 civilians were evacuated from high-risk areas.
Mikati also told Hochstein that dialogue and diplomacy are key to resolving any disputes or tensions in the region and that the Lebanese government is committed to working towards reaching a diplomatic solution. Still, he stressed that "an immediate cease-fire in Gaza is a must so that diplomacy can win over violence and war."
Moreover, he thanked Biden's administration for "avoiding the spillover of the conflict between Israel and Hamas into Lebanon" and expressed his gratitude for the "United States' continued efforts to address the crisis."
In addition, he talked about the issue of the Lebanese presidency saying that "political divisions and external factors" have hampered the efforts of the Group of Five (United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt) to resolve the presidential vacuum. He added that these factors made it difficult to reach a solution and called for "all representatives to properly bear responsibility for the benefit of Lebanon, and to work seriously to elect a president."