Abdullah Abu Daif (Cairo)
International warnings have been issued of the expansion of the war in the Middle East, the region sliding into open confrontation, and calls on all parties to move urgently to calm the tension.
Egypt and Turkey stressed that the region is going through a very delicate and dangerous turning point, which requires the highest levels of self-restraint and raising the voice of reason and wisdom.
During the reception of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi yesterday, the two countries warned of the danger of escalation, and stressed the need to push for a radical solution to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 lines.
In Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern about the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, which threatens to erupt into a wider conflict, calling on all parties and influential countries to act urgently to de-escalate the situation, which has become extremely dangerous.
Yesterday, the caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, announced that he would continue working to spare Lebanon any risks.
Mikati said: “We are determined to live and despair is forbidden. We will continue to bear our responsibilities and work to spare the country any dangers.”
In turn, the International Crisis Group, a research body concerned with international political affairs, warned that the Middle East region is experiencing the most dangerous moment in years, and all concerned must do their utmost to avoid regional war.
Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed El-Orabi said in statements to Al-Ittihad that stopping the escalation is an absolute necessity for the region during the coming period in light of preserving the lives of civilians and not affecting the difficult economic conditions in the first place, pointing out that returning to the negotiating table has become an important matter, with the necessity of raising the voice of reason and wisdom.
From Jordan, Professor of Political Science Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Qaraleh said that recent events, especially with the successive political assassinations, increase the complexity of the conflict in light of the proliferation of parties linked to the ongoing broad military escalation in the Gaza Strip, as these events send clear messages about the increasing possibility of expanding the scope of the conflict.
Al-Qaraleh added in statements to Al-Ittihad that the current events are greatly hindering the truce negotiations in Gaza, and may end any hope of concluding an exchange deal or a temporary cessation of the war.
For his part, Lebanese politician Charles Jabbour ruled out any chance for calm at the current stage, as things are heading towards further escalation.
Jabour explained in statements to Al-Ittihad that the United States is currently unable to provide any effective political solutions to reach a truce in Gaza, in light of the approaching presidential elections.
He pointed out that the region stands between two possibilities, the first is the continuation of the war without a clear end, and the second is the slipping of matters into an open confrontation with undesirable consequences. This scenario may happen if what happened in targeting the southern suburb of Beirut is repeated, especially if the response from Hezbollah is harsh, which may push matters towards a large-scale war.
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