Attention turned yesterday to Jeddah, where the expanded American-Arab summit was held with the presence of U.S. President Joe Biden. Various urgent regional and international issues were addressed, particularly economic matters concerning energy. Lebanon was absent from the summit, although it was mentioned in the Saudi-American joint statement, which expressed the ongoing support of both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. for Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and stability, as well as for the armed forces protecting its borders. The statement emphasized the importance of forming a government in Lebanon, implementing comprehensive political, economic, and structural reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its political crises and does not become a launchpad for terrorists, drug trafficking, or other criminal activities threatening the security and stability of the region. It also highlighted the necessity for the Lebanese government to exercise control over all Lebanese territory, including the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and the Taif Agreement, to practice its full sovereignty, ensuring that no weapons exist without the Lebanese government's approval and that no authority exists other than its own.
Political sources described this statement as good in form but remaining within the realm of wishes, even if both parties genuinely intend to support Lebanon, as Saudi and U.S. officials are well aware that the official Lebanese authority is lacking sovereignty and is effectively held hostage by Iran, still subject to the resistance axis. They noted that the parliamentary elections changed the form but not the substance, and achieving real change will require external pressure to fundamentally alter the existing equation.
The political sources pointed out to "Anbaa" that while the statement mentioned certain policies, it did not delve into the core issues or their resolution. They considered that Lebanon is still in a state of disintegration and fragmentation, but conversely, they observed a consensus that Arabs would work toward the reconstruction and re-establishment of Lebanon within six months or perhaps longer, aiming to devise a new Taif Agreement based on the preconditions leading up to Biden's arrival in Jeddah, accompanied by substantial friends of Lebanon, the results of which will become evident in the not-so-distant future.
