'No one wants to see Lebanon sink,' says Arab League deputy secretary-general from Baabda

Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Hossam Zaki said Thursday that “no one wants to see Lebanon sink into a situation with undesirable consequences” after meeting President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Presidential Palace. He also voiced support for Lebanese authorities maintaining the state’s monopoly on weapons.

“The purpose of this visit was to reaffirm the Arab League’s support for the principle of state authority and the monopoly on weapons. We reiterated our respect for the framework set by the state for implementing this policy. We joined our voice to that of Lebanese leaders in asking the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and implement the cease-fire. We also emphasized that U.S. mediation falls within this framework and that the mediator must focus on ensuring Israel complies with international resolutions,” Zaki said.

He repeated that “no one wants to see Lebanon sink into a situation with undesirable consequences” and expressed hope that “wisdom will prevail and that a national vision in the interest of the country will be adopted, because the main goal is to restore stability and civil peace and to establish full state sovereignty.”

Despite the truce, Israel continues strikes on southern Lebanon and, less frequently, on Hezbollah strongholds such as the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs. To try to end the attacks, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has proposed a “roadmap” for step-by-step measures between Beirut and Tel Aviv.

Lebanon has taken a first step by officially accepting the plan and giving the army until the end of the year to disarm Hezbollah and other armed groups. In return, Israel is expected to gradually withdraw from positions it still holds in southern Lebanon and release Lebanese detainees from its prisons.

The Lebanese government’s adoption of the U.S. roadmap has been sharply criticized by Hezbollah, whose secretary-general, Naim Qassem, has warned of potential internal conflict.