BEIRUT

Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib urged a “comprehensive package” Friday to implement UN Resolution 1701, including Israel’s withdrawal from occupied areas in Lebanon and the cessation of ground, maritime and aerial violations, according to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry. 

Habib emphasized that there can be “no comprehensive peace without the Palestinians,” during a meeting with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin.

He pointed out that the “Arab Peace Initiative adopted at the 2002 Beirut Summit, based on the principle of establishing an independent Palestinian state, is the key to peace and stability in our region.”

Habib expressed gratitude to German authorities for their support to Lebanon and contribution to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL.

On Aug. 11, 2006, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701, which calls for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel.

From 2006 until October 2023, the southern borders have witnessed significant stability despite occasional breaches. Hezbollah has not openly demonstrated a military presence, although there have been discussions about tunnels and hideouts.

But since Hezbollah got involved in the Gaza conflict by shelling Israeli military sites on the border with Lebanon, and Israel responded vigorously in southern towns, concerns have been raised about the possibility of a “comprehensive war” between the two countries.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened on Dec. 6 to push Hezbollah beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, “either through an international political arrangement or through military action based on UN Resolution 1701.”

The remarks have introduced the international settlement into the current tension equation, alongside the prospect of a “comprehensive war,” according to observers.

In solidarity with Gaza, Hezbollah and Palestinian factions in Lebanon, have been exchanging daily shelling with the Israeli army since Oct. 8, resulting in dozens of casualties on both sides of the border.  

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala