By Ibrahim Khazen
RIYADH (AA) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US special envoy for Lebanon Amos Hochstein on Sunday to discuss developments in Lebanon and efforts to address ongoing challenges.
The meeting, held in the Saudi capital Riyadh, comes ahead of a session of the Lebanese parliament scheduled for Jan. 9 to elect a new president amid threats to a cease-fire agreement with Israel, according to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
The ministry noted that Prince Faisal received Hochstein at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh but did not specify the duration of his visit.
Discussions focused on "current regional issues, including the latest developments in Lebanon and the efforts made to address them."
The upcoming parliamentary session follows an Israeli assault and a long three-year presidential vacuum caused by a political deadlock.
Since the end of President Michel Aoun's term in October 2022, parliament has failed to elect a new president in 13 sessions, the most recent of which was on June 14, 2023, marking Lebanon’s sixth presidential vacancy in its modern history.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Sunday to abolish a cease-fire agreement with Beirut if the Hezbollah group does not withdraw from southern Lebanon.
The threat followed a warning Saturday by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who said his group's patience with Israeli violations of the cease-fire “could run out” before the 60-day agreement expires.
Under the cease-fire terms, Israel is required to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line – a de facto border – in phases, while the Lebanese army is to deploy in southern Lebanon within 60 days.
Data from the Lebanese Health Ministry indicates that since Israel’s onslaught against Lebanon began on Oct. 8, 2023, at least 4,063 people have been killed, including women, children and health workers, while 16,664 have been injured.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala