Beirut, Lebanon – The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants issued a strongly worded statement expressing its deep condemnation of the terrorist plot targeting the sisterly United Arab Emirates. The Ministry explicitly condemned Hezbollah’s involvement in this plot. It also affirmed that such acts disregard Lebanese national interests and fraternal relations with Arab nations. Furthermore, the Ministry stressed in its statement the necessity of adhering to the Lebanese government’s decision of March 2, 2016, which prohibits all military and security activities of Hezbollah. It considered this decision to be the legal and sovereign authority of the Lebanese state in dealing with the party’s weapons and illegal activities.
The Ministry expressed Lebanon’s full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates, which has always been a pillar of support for Lebanon in times of hardship and adversity. It also congratulated the UAE security services on their high level of vigilance, which thwarted the plot in its early stages. The Ministry indicated the Lebanese authorities’ complete readiness for intelligence and legal cooperation in the ongoing investigations. This includes working to uncover all those involved and punish the perpetrators. Furthermore, this official Lebanese stance reflects a fundamental shift in Beirut’s foreign policy. It also demonstrates a decisive move towards restoring trust with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries by upholding the rule of law and preventing the use of Lebanese territory or personnel in cross-border acts of sabotage.
