Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy condemned Israeli attacks on South Lebanon as “unacceptable,” calling for concrete Arab action to support the country, strengthen its army and help displaced residents return home.
Fahmy made the remarks during a visit to the southern city of Tyre, where he met senior Lebanese Army officers at the Benoit Barakat barracks, accompanied by Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed.
Fahmy said he had chosen Lebanon as one of his first foreign destinations since taking office to see firsthand the challenges facing its people.
His visit to the south, he explained, was meant to reassure residents that the Arab world and the international community recognized their suffering and were prepared to provide tangible support.
He pointed to a September resolution by the Arab League’s ministerial council that addressed Lebanon’s crisis and its underlying causes, particularly repeated Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure.
After touring the town of Zawtar and the city of Nabatieh, Fahmy described the destruction he witnessed as “distressing.”
He accused Israel of systematically demolishing residential areas, seizing land and seeking to displace civilians, potentially paving the way for further occupation.
Despite the devastation, he expressed confidence that Lebanese residents would remain attached to their land.
The Arab League was working with the Lebanese government to explore reconstruction efforts and ways to restore stability, he added.
While rebuilding would require action across several sectors, Fahmy stressed that Arab solidarity could not be limited to statements of condemnation.
“This is the beginning of a sustained process, not the end of the road,” he said, reaffirming the League’s commitment to Lebanon.
Army seeks support, post-UNIFIL arrangements
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Tabet, commander of the Lebanese Army’s South Litani Sector, welcomed the visit as a sign of Arab solidarity at a time of mounting security and humanitarian challenges.
He said Israeli attacks had left widespread destruction and displaced thousands of Lebanese, while continued occupation and security threats prevented families from returning safely to their villages.
The situation was also hampering the army’s deployment to the internationally recognized border.
Tabet called for Arab and international pressure to halt Israeli attacks, secure a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory and uphold the country’s sovereignty.
Despite difficult conditions and limited resources, the army remained committed to its duties, he said, urging the Arab League to mobilize diplomatic support, strengthen the military and help rebuild the south.
He also called for lasting security arrangements after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends.
Such arrangements, developed with the UN and international partners, would be essential to preventing a security vacuum and implementing Security Council Resolution 1701.
Describing Fahmy’s visit as a rare and welcome gesture, Tabet said it offered reassurance that Lebanon had not been left to face its challenges alone.
