Israel 'jeopardizes the credibility' of the countries that proposed a ceasefire, Mikati claims

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati renewed his call for the ''full implementation'' of United Nations Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war, and for Israel to cease ''its aggression against Lebanon as well as its repeated violations,'' according to a statement from the Grand Serail relaying his remarks in an interview with SkyNews Arabia.

The head of government also noted that the failure to follow through on the ''international call supported by ten countries for a 21-day ceasefire'' jeopardizes the credibility of those nations. ''The countries that accepted the call for a ceasefire now have their credibility at stake. I have not proclaimed a ceasefire, but I am sure that once the Israelis stop firing, the fire from Lebanon will cease as well. Instead of continuing to kill and destroy, let’s pursue a diplomatic solution,'' he added.

Mikati referred to the U.S.-French proposal for a 21-day truce between Hezbollah and the Hebrew state, a move supported by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Last weekend, caretaker Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib revealed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had accepted the proposal shortly before his assassination by Israel and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also agreed to the truce before giving the green light for the assassination of the Hezbollah chief, who was killed on Sept. 27 in a massive strike in southern Beirut. In his interview, Najib Mikati confirmed Netanyahu's last-minute reversal.

What does Beirut's southern suburb look like after a year of Israeli strikes?

What does Beirut's southern suburb look like after a year of Israeli strikes?

Strengthening the Lebanese Army

''We have invested and continue to invest in a diplomatic solution that avoids further killings and destruction. We call for the implementation of Resolution 1701; there is no other solution, and it must be fully applied, starting with the cessation of Israeli aggression and repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty. In return, we are ready to strengthen the army's presence in the south to fully implement the resolution,'' the prime minister stated.

For Najib Mikati, ''the solution lies in the implementation of United Nations Resolution 1701, which involves total cooperation between the army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to secure the region.''

''Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry is also making the necessary contacts, and we can say that if the ceasefire is respected on the Israeli side, it will also be respected on the Lebanese side,'' he assured.

''The Lebanese army is ready to immediately strengthen its positions in terms of personnel, but it lacks the necessary equipment, so we need some time to do that,'' he added, noting that ''all countries have committed to providing the troops with the necessary equipment so they can carry out their assigned tasks.''

When asked if he was in contact with Hezbollah, he replied: ''I have no direct contact, and it is Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berry who is making the appropriate contacts.''

''We do not want violence or war, but rather permanent stability in southern Lebanon and the return of displaced people to their homes. A diplomatic solution is what is needed, and if anyone has another solution, let them announce it,'' the prime minister concluded, emphasizing that ''the Palestinian issue'' will only be resolved through a ''just solution that grants Palestinians their rights.''

This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.