Beirut: Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati reiterated on Monday, his country's call for pressure to stop the Israeli occupation's aggression in order to discuss the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 in its exact wording as approved. According to Kuwait News Agency, the Prime Minister's media office said that this came during a series of meetings Mikati held with ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and with the EU ambassador to Lebanon, Sandra De Waele in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, as part of efforts to support Lebanon's stance against the Israeli occupation's aggression. Mikati emphasized that the Lebanese government "clearly" declares its commitment to Resolution 1701 and its intention to strengthen the army in the south, welcoming all positions calling for a ceasefire. He noted that "the Israeli enemy has turned against all proposed solutions and has continued its war crimes against various Lebanese regions, reaching the targeting of archaeological sites, which is an additional crime against humanity that must be confronted and stopped." Mikati stressed the need to pressure the Israeli occupation to protect civilians and medical and emergency personnel from being targeted, indicating that the occupation's attacks on cities like Baalbek and Tyre threaten invaluable heritage and cultural sites. He urged the UN Security Council to take "swift and decisive actions to protect these historical treasures," which are part of Lebanon's national identity as well as being globally recognized historical landmarks. Since September 23rd, Lebanon has witnessed a series of violent airstrikes conducted daily by Israeli forces on various Lebanese regions, causing significant property damage, loss of life, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents.
