Lebanon Policy: Minister Seeks Gulf Help to Reclaim Sovereignty

Lebanon's foreign minister has demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory.

Youssef Rajji made the call during the 22nd Manama Dialogue organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He asked Gulf states to support efforts to restore Lebanon's sovereignty. The minister also called for an end to ongoing attacks and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Rajji stated that restoring state authority is essential for stability and relations with Arab countries. He noted that the government under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is reasserting control. This includes decisions to place all weapons under state authority and to ban Hezbollah's military activities. "Lebanon will no longer allow its territory to be used against the security of its Arab brothers or as a bargaining chip in negotiations conducted beyond its borders," Rajji said in a session on the Eastern Mediterranean.

The minister reaffirmed Lebanon's solidarity with Bahrain and other Gulf states in confronting Iranian attacks. He also addressed actions by armed groups linked to Tehran. Rajji rejected any violation of their sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. He warned against letting countries pursue regional ambitions through armed groups operating outside state authority. He said Lebanon had experienced the devastating consequences of such groups being used as instruments of foreign influence.

Rajji noted that the Lebanese people paid a heavy price for wars they did not choose to fight. He raised concerns over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea. He argued that Gulf security is now linked to developments in the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. The minister called for a comprehensive Arab strategic partnership built on sovereign states that retain exclusive authority over decisions of war and peace.