Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Tuesday he helped convince "Lebanon's friends of the need to put pressure on Israel to prevent the situation from slipping into unexpected consequences and repercussions," according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
Tensions have risen between Hezbollah and Israel after the latter killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur and several other civilians in the southern suburbs of Beirut last Tuesday.
"The recent Israeli aggression on the southern suburbs of Beirut has further complicated the existing situation and reinforced fears of confrontations that would push things towards a full-scale war," Mikati said.
Mikati stressed the importance of the confidentiality of these meetings because "silent diplomacy is the most effective in the delicate circumstances" Lebanon is going through.
"What I can reveal in this regard is that the series of meetings I held yesterday helped to form the conviction among Lebanon's friends of the need to put pressure on Israel, to prevent the situation from slipping into unexpected consequences and repercussions. This pressure is continuing and we hope that it will lead to satisfactory results as soon as possible."
The caretaker Prime Minister also said that "the Israeli threats against Lebanon fall within the framework of psychological warfare against the Lebanese, but, unfortunately, some contribute to this war by trying to excuse Israeli attacks because of their targets," he said referring to Israel's targeting of Hezbollah bases and fighters.
"Everyone knows that the key to the solution is a cease-fire and a halt to the Israeli aggressions," he added.