War threats will not deter Lebanon from holding onto right to land: PM
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The head of Lebanon's caretaker government urges against being drawn into rumors and false news aimed at spreading panic among the Lebanese people.
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The head of Lebanon's caretaker government Najib Mikati speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 UN Climate Summit, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP)
Threats and intimidation of a full-scale war will not deter the Lebanese people from holding onto their right to their land and defending it by all legitimate means, affirmed Najib Mikati, the head of Lebanon's caretaker government.
This comes amid Israeli threats of an escalation against Lebanon, following the incident in the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan, which saw an Israeli Iron Dome interceptor rocket hit a playground there, killing 12 and injuring dozens.
While "Israel" blamed Hezbollah for the incident and vowed that it "will not let this murderous attack go unanswered," the Lebanese Resistance group categorically denied Israeli allegations that it targeted Majdal Shams.
Mikati reiterated the demand for an end to the Israeli aggression on southern Lebanon and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, emphasizing that a detailed response to the Israeli claims and accusations will be sent to the Security Council.
He also urged against being drawn into rumors and false news aimed at spreading panic among all Lebanese people.
In a related context, Mikati on Monday received a call from the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Badr Abdel Ati, during which they discussed the situation in Lebanon in light of the recent Israeli threats and the ongoing aggression on southern Lebanon.
During the call, Mikati stressed that a solution must be based on the full implementation of international resolution 1701, while the Egyptian Foreign Minister expressed his country's solidarity with Lebanon, standing by its side, and rejecting any attack against it.
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told CNN that Beirut had obtained "assurances" from unidentified international actors that "Israel's" planned strike would be "limited" in a way meant to prevent a larger war.
However, Lebanon, according to the FM, was not given clarity on what a "limited response" would entail.
"To us, this means they will not hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, or the airport, which would surely lead to war," Bou Habib reported.
Read more: US says 'confident' wider Hezbollah-'Israel' war can be avoided
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
