Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib called on the Arab and Islamic worlds for urgent support as Lebanon grapples with escalating violence and environmental destruction at the hands of Israel, stressing that the country has long borne the burden of supporting the Palestinian cause.

Speaking at the Arab-Islamic Ministerial meeting in Riyadh, Bou Habib highlighted the dire situation in Lebanon, where Israel’s daily military strikes have resulted in the death of scores of civilians, with no distinction made between women, children, the elderly, medical personnel, journalists, and other non-combatants.

He also condemned the destruction of Lebanon's rich cultural and historical heritage, including sites dating back thousands of years and ancient olive groves, which have been set on fire and razed in what he described as an attempt to establish a “buffer zone” along Lebanon’s southern border, empty of life. Bou Habib referred to this strategy as a new form of “environmental terrorism,” aimed at eliminating both biological and human life in the region.

In his address, Bou Habib urged Arab and Muslim nations to provide Lebanon with the assistance it needs now more than ever to confront Israeli aggression, which seeks to undermine Lebanon’s long-standing values of religious and cultural coexistence. He warned that Israel's actions are aimed at reverting Lebanon to a "prehistoric" era, driven by its own immediate interests.

Bou Habib reiterated Lebanon’s call for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of stability along its southern borders. He called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mandates that the only legitimate authority south of the Litani River be Lebanon’s government and prohibits any arms other than those authorized by the Lebanese state. Bou Habib emphasized that Lebanon’s position remains clear: it seeks the return of all displaced persons to their homes and the cessation of hostilities in the region. 

Lebanon, he said, is committed to bolstering the presence of its armed forces in southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese government has decided to recruit and train of 1,500 new soldiers. This is part of a broader plan to deploy 5,000 more troops to strengthen the existing force of 4,500 soldiers already stationed in southern Lebanon. Bou Habib called for international support to help meet the logistical needs of this expansion. 

Reflecting on Lebanon’s history, Bou Habib acknowledged that for many years, Lebanon believed its strength lay in its weakness. However, the events of the 1960s, particularly the fallout from the Palestinian issue, left Lebanon unable to rely solely on its internal resources for recovery. He emphasized that Lebanon now seeks to correct this and strengthen its defensive capacities to safeguard its sovereignty and independence in the face of external threats. 

Bou Habib also reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to cooperation with UNIFIL (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), underscoring the sacrifices made by peacekeepers and condemning any attacks on them or their installations. Lebanon remains dedicated to strengthening its collaboration with the peacekeeping force in line with the Taif Agreement, which affirms the need for the Lebanese state to exercise full authority over all of its territory.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of a ceasefire, Bou Habib insisted that the only lasting solution to the conflict in southern Lebanon is the full resolution of Lebanon's sovereignty issues. He warned that as long as Israel continues to violate Lebanon’s air, sea, and land sovereignty, it will only contribute to the risk of future wars in the region, which Lebanon is working to avoid.

Concluding his remarks, Bou Habib once again called for an end to Israeli violations of Lebanese territory and urged Israel to halt its ongoing occupation. He reiterated that Lebanon, which embraced peace as a strategic choice at the Arab Summit in Beirut in 2002, is committed to the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia. Lebanon's values of peace, coexistence, and respect for cultural heritage remain central to the nation’s identity, he added.

Bou Habib also appealed for greater international pressure on Israel to stop the destruction of Lebanon’s historical and cultural landmarks, which are at risk of being permanently lost. He urged the Arab and Islamic world to unite in protecting and preserving these invaluable treasures, some of which have been integral to human history for thousands of years.