Jordan’s King Abdullah II stressed on Monday that his country was “doing its utmost, in coordination with Arab brothers and influential countries, to stop the Israeli war on Lebanon.”
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati was in Jordan for talks with King Abdullah. The leaders discussed the developments in Lebanon amid the Israeli assault on the South, said Mikati’s office.
King Abdullah said Jordan firmly stands by Lebanon and its brotherly people. It supports its sovereignty, security and stability, he stated.
The kingdom is prepared to offer aid to the Lebanese brothers to ease their suffering during the war, he went on to say.
Moreover, King Abdullah warned against “the expansion of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, which may lead the whole region to war.”
For his part, Mikati expressed his appreciation for the monarch and Jordan’s support for Lebanon on numerous occasions.
He hailed the humanitarian air bridge between Amman and Beirut to aid the people who have been displaced in the war.
Mikati also met with his Jordanian counterpart Jaafar Hassan for talks on the Israeli war on Lebanon.
Hassan stressed the need for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701.
The Israeli assault on Lebanon has displaced around 1.2 million people. So far, Lebanon’s international contacts have yielded little progress in reaching a ceasefire, said Lebanese sources, revealing that Israel has rejected all proposals.
Meanwhile, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert held talks with parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on the latest developments.
The UN is doing everything it can to reach a diplomatic solution to the problem, she said.
She stressed the need for the full implementation of resolution 1701 by both parties to reach a solution.
She warned that the situation cannot tolerate failure to implement the resolution.
Discussions with Berri focused on the resolution and a mechanism for its implementation, she added, saying that all parties are keen on avoiding history repeating itself when it comes to the resolution.
A ceasefire is a necessary first step ahead of implementing it, she remarked.
Berri also received a telephone call from Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassem Al Thani for talks on the developments in Lebanon and the need for an immediate ceasefire, said the parliament office.
Berri held telephone talks with UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) commander Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro to thank him for his “reasonable and brave” stance in remaining firm in their position and maintaining their duties in the South amid the Israeli assault.
Such a stance keeps resolution 1701 alive, he added.
