Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Advocates Diplomacy at Cairo Conference.

Cairo: Caretaker Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, on Monday reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to diplomacy and self-defense during the "Ministerial Conference to Strengthen Humanitarian Response in Gaza," held in Cairo. "Our consistent choice is diplomacy, with self-defense as a necessity when we face aggression," Bou Habib stated, emphasizing Lebanon's alignment with international commitments under last week's joint statement by the U.S. and France, issued on November 26, 2024. However, Bou Habib stressed, "Stability and sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the end of Israel's occupation of all Lebanese territories." According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the Foreign Minister highlighted the pivotal role of diplomacy and the full, parallel implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in easing the crisis, describing it as "a window in the wall of despair." Bou Habib finally urged the international community to uphold its moral responsibility in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "The world must take a stand to meet the needs of our brothers in Gaza, or risk losing its humanity to the law of the jungle," Bou said. The Foreign Minister also defended the role of UNRWA, warning against undermining the agency. "UNRWA is a last refuge for providing essential services to Palestinian refugees. Do not let anyone extinguish the hope for a better future by cutting its funding or halting its operations," Bou Habib concluded.