Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaf Salam made contact with his counterpart in Pakistan yesterday in order to receive assurances that the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Iran covers the country of Lebanon. This desperate plea was made only one day after Israeli bombing attacks left more than 200 people dead in Lebanon.
Diplomatic Efforts Seek to Halt Renewed Attacks
Salam called directly on Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. Salam commended the positive involvement of Islamabad in facilitating the truce agreement and urged Sharif to ensure that Lebanon was included in the process. Furthermore, the Lebanese president knows that international support is key for the safety of the people.
Israel and America have made it clear that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire. Israel declared that it will continue to strike Hezbollah, which Iran backs and was responsible for bringing Lebanon into the broader Middle East conflict on March 2nd. In addition, a hard-line statement was made by the Speaker of Iran’s parliament, stating that Iran considers Lebanon to be an integral part of the ceasefire.
In fact, this approach corresponds with the increasing international demand for integrating Lebanon into the ceasefire.
Tensions Persist as Leaders Push for Lasting Peace
It is timely because in the midst of all these challenges, there are new efforts underway diplomatically to ensure that things remain under control. The leaders are involved in negotiations in order to prevent any escalation or increase in tensions. The visit of Salam to Pakistan indicates the desire of the Lebanese people to protect their own people as well as seek support from other countries to give them more clout on an international scale.
