The Quintet Committee countries have intensified their efforts in recent days towards the Lebanese crisis in all its dimensions.

In addition to the committee's main concern of keeping Lebanon away from the Gaza war, the focus is on the files of extending the term of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, the presidential elections, and the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701.

What are the details regarding these files?

Information indicates that UNSC Resolution 1701 requires separate negotiations, the details of which have not yet matured. As for the extension of General Aoun's term and the holding of presidential elections, the Qatari envoy, who will arrive after the French one, will clarify that Lebanon has two options: either to go now for the extension of the army commander's term, or to elect a new president of the republic.

Anyone who does not want to extend the term of the army commander puts himself in confrontation with the Quintet Committee, as it pushes the country into chaos and puts it outside international legitimacy, which exposes Lebanon to dangerous possibilities.

Available information indicates that the inevitability of the third option in the elections is due to the absence of chances for the two currently proposed candidates, which requires going to the intersection and consensus to meet the conditions of the Lebanese interest and the political moment.

Also, holding presidential elections now would complete the structure of the institutional state, which obviates the need to extend the term of the army commander. If it is impossible to hold presidential elections, the international community cannot accept the vacancy of the army institution at a delicate and critical stage.

Therefore, the last messages of the Quintet were harsh in tone, even if they were within the scope of negotiation, and the model was Le Drian's dealing with "Free Patriotic Movement" Leader MP Gebran Bassil.

From political developments to what is related to the confrontations in southern Lebanon, caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib, who returned from a European tour that included Brussels and Barcelona, revealed to "Nidaa Al Watan" newspaper that Israel sent several messages related to southern Lebanon to parties from the European Union conveyed by Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security in the European Union, and through the Vatican.

These messages, as Bou Habib said, stated that "Lebanon must implement UNSC Resolution 1701, and that Hezbollah's presence should be north of the Litani River, not south of it."

Diplomatic information following up says that Hezbollah has no intention of raising the level of tension on the Lebanese border, and that Western countries, especially the United States, are putting pressure on Israel not to carry out any escalating strikes in southern Lebanon.

This article was initially published in Arabic in Nidaa Al Watan, translated by Christina Rai.