Lebanese govt. scrambles to avoid being dragged into war
Caretaker prime minister said Monday the country's politically paralyzed government has been scrambling to ease tensions along its southern border with Israel and avoid dragging the tiny country into a new war.
Najib Mikati has spoken by phone with top U.S. officials and heads of state and top diplomats from the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, and Italy.
"Lebanon is in the eye of the storm, and the region as a whole is in a difficult situation," Mikati was quoted as saying in a statement from his office.
The Lebanese government remains critical of Israel, but fears a new war could further devastate its battered economy and put the lives of its approximately 6.5 million people at risk.
There are concerns that Hezbollah will ignore concerns from the Lebanese government and escalate once Israel launches a ground invasion.
Hezbollah and Israel have clashed along the border across several towns, but Hezbollah has not yet announced that it is joining the war.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna arrived in Beirut and met with Mikati. She will also meet other officials to discuss border tensions.
Colonna had visited Israel a week after a surprise attack perpetrated by Hamas, and is visiting Egypt and Lebanon to discuss the ongoing crises.
Source: Associated Press
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