EU foreign policy chief to visit Lebanon on Jan. 5-7

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will travel to Lebanon on Jan. 5-7.

During his meeting, Borrell will meet Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun, said an EU statement.

The visit will be an opportunity to discuss the situation in the Middle East, the conflict in Gaza and its impact on the Israeli-Lebanese border, "as well as the importance of avoiding regional escalation and of sustaining the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians, which the European Union has quadrupled to €100 million ($109 million)," the statement said.

Borrell will stress the need for "diplomatic efforts" for “creating the conditions to reach a just and lasting peace between Israel, Palestine and in the region,” it added.

Border tensions have risen between Israel and Lebanon since the start of an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed at least 22,313 people, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

Tension has flared along the border amid intermittent exchange of fire between Israeli forces and the Lebanese group, Hezbollah, in the deadliest fighting since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

At least 147 Hezbollah members have been killed since the outbreak of the clashes on Oct. 8, according to figures released by the Lebanese group.

Earlier this week, Hamas’ deputy chief Saleh Arouri was assassinated in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

According to Lebanon’s official National News Agency, Arouri and six others were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a Hamas office building in Mecherfeh in southern Beirut. Israel has not officially claimed responsibility.