Lebanese Officials Renew Commitment to Taif Accord on 33rd Anniversary of its Signing

Top officials are seen at the conference marking the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taif Accord. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Top officials are seen at the conference marking the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taif Accord. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanese Officials Renew Commitment to Taif Accord on 33rd Anniversary of its Signing

Top officials are seen at the conference marking the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taif Accord. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Top officials are seen at the conference marking the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taif Accord. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi embassy in Lebanon organized on Saturday a conference to mark the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taif Accord that helped end the 1975-90 Lebanese civil war.

Signed in 1989, the agreement, which was sponsored by Saudi Arabia, helped consolidate mutual coexistence in Lebanon and preserve its Lebanese and Arab identity.

At Saturday’s conference, officials called for completing the implementation of the accord in wake of the crises rocking Lebanon, which is mired in presidential and government vacuum and grappling with an unprecedented economic meltdown.

Top politicians and diplomats and religious figures attended the conference that was held at the UNESCO palace in Beirut.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari stressed that the Taif Accord “reflects the Kingdom’s keenness on Lebanon, its security, unity, stability and national pact.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the accord is “extremely important because it helped end the civil war.”

“The Kingdom has not abandoned Lebanon and it stands by it,” he declared.

Moreover, he noted that the major turnout of officials at the conference demonstrates that the accord “is still the best suited for Lebanon.”

Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said: “Experience has shown that Lebanon must operate according to sustainable balance that achieves stability.”

“There can be no sectarian solution” to problems, “rather there is only one whereby either Lebanon rises with the help of all of its components or not at all,” he added.

“Good intentions are the foundations for any initiative or solution,” he stated, stressing that the priority in Lebanon today lies in the election of a president who “believes in the Taif Accord” and is keen on its complete implementation.

Head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt said that before discussions can be held over amending the Taif, the accord must at least be implemented in full.

That will in turn eliminate political sectarianism, as stipulated in the accord, he explained.

Furthermore, he called for carrying out other reforms that were underlined in the accord. These issues should be discussed “away from sectarian tensions that are seeking to hamper the election of a president.”

Speaking on behalf of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, Archbishop Boulos Matar said: “Christians and Muslims are united under one nation according to the Taif agreement.”

“We are brothers in the nation, Arabism and humanity,” he added.



Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.