CAIRO: Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Wednesday condemned the “treacherous Israeli attacks” in Lebanon, which claimed several lives, including that of a child, and resulted in thousands of injuries.
Paging devices belonging to Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria exploded on Tuesday, killing 12 people and wounding up to 2,800 others.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesman for Aboul Gheit, relayed the bloc chief’s warning about the repercussions of this “dangerous escalation against Lebanon and its people.”
He said that the attacks were compounded by irresponsible statements from Israeli leaders, who appeared intent on broadening the scope of the war on the southern Lebanon front, which could dangerously destabilize the entire region.
Aboul Gheit expressed his “unwavering solidarity with Lebanon, its people, and its government in the face of this blatant assault on the country’s sovereignty and security.”
He stressed the urgent need for the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities by addressing and countering Israel’s “continued and reckless” threats to security and peace in the region.
Separately, Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s foreign minister, called Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, and his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, in the aftermath of the pager blasts.
Abdelatty conveyed the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to affirm Egypt’s support for the security and stability of Lebanon and non-violation of its sovereignty by any external party.
El-Sisi offered to provide any possible support to “our brothers in Lebanon during these critical circumstances.”
During the calls, Abdelatty reiterated his warning against the threat of escalation and the danger of a full-fledged regional war.
He said that the developments in southern Lebanon were a clear indication that “the region is on a dangerous juncture due to irresponsible and ill-considered unilateral actions, which will lead to consequences that will cast a shadow over the stability of the entire region.”
Abdelatty emphasized the importance of preventing escalation, “which can be achieved through an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, halting the Israeli aggression in the West Bank, and expeditiously reaching a deal that guarantees the release of hostages and detainees, as well as full and unconditional access of humanitarian and medical aid into the strip.”
