The Egyptian ambassador in Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, emphasized the significance of the first visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atti to Lebanon as a step to support the country during this critical time, which faces numerous threats. He noted that all Lebanese officials who met with Abdel Atti affirmed the necessity of creating the appropriate environment to resolve the escalating tensions, fearing that the war could expand.
Moussa stressed the importance of giving a chance for the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, currently taking place in Doha, and avoiding any party escaping its responsibilities and moving towards a confrontational path, which concerns Egypt. In response to a question about whether the decision lies with the Lebanese government, Moussa believed that the government has its tools and communications with certain parties.
He confirmed that Egypt maintains communication with all parties and mentioned that during the less than a month since he took office, the Egyptian Foreign Minister has communicated with his Iranian counterpart more than five times, with the latest conversation occurring yesterday. The discussions revolved around the necessity of preparing the environment for the success of the peace negotiations in Doha.
Moussa addressed the Iranian desire to stop the war in Gaza as quickly as possible but conveyed that the Iranians affirmed that the assassination of Ismail Haniya represents a violation of Iranian sovereignty and that they reserve the right to respond.
Regarding the negotiations atmosphere, the Egyptian ambassador stated to Al-Hurra that due to the control of the far-right over the current Israeli government, the closer negotiators get to a solution, the more this government seeks a new reason to escalate the situation, as personal factors overshadow the public interest.
He stated: "The ongoing negotiations are the only way to stop the war in Gaza, and the negotiating parties insist on continuing down this path no matter how long it may take, because announcing the failure of the negotiations could have numerous negative consequences for all parties."
On the upcoming tripartite negotiations meeting between the U.S., Doha, and Egypt, Moussa confirmed that it would take place in Cairo before the end of this week and would include high-level figures, while communication among the mediators continues, and work should focus on minor but important technical details, hoping that a breakthrough could be achieved.
On another note, Moussa emphasised that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region because the U.S. administration and President Joe Biden fully understand that this is an opportunity that must be seized. He mentioned to Al-Hurra that Biden proposed last Friday an initiative to bridge differences, asserting that the involved parties are working to close these gaps according to the proposal supported by the tripartite statement, adding: "Let's see where we will reach from now until the tripartite meeting before the end of this week in Cairo! But I believe that Blinken's visit to Israel today and tomorrow to Cairo will help bridge some of the gaps."
Moussa noted that U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein has made significant progress during his tours regarding arrangements in the south under the title of implementing Resolution 1701 in all its aspects, mentioning that Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atti heard from Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri and other involved parties that there is an important positive spirit during Hochstein's tour, and that a ceasefire in Gaza will impact the southern front.
Regarding the five-member committee and the presidential file, Moussa clarified that the current focus is on stopping the fire in Gaza, as this will affect all other files, including the presidential file. He stated: "If the Lebanese parties do not realize yet that there are great current and forthcoming challenges that need to be addressed through fulfilling important constitutional obligations, that would be a serious mistake, as time is not on anyone's side." He added, "The coming challenge is difficult, and we must overcome trivial disagreements and prioritize Lebanon's interests."