Macron announced that France is working on a diplomatic line to reduce the existing escalation between Israel and Lebanon.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on Wednesday in his address to the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York that Israel cannot expand its operations without consequences, appealing to all parties to scale down the ongoing escalation, Anadolu news agency reported.
“Israel cannot, without consequence, just expand its operations to Lebanon. France demands that everyone respect their obligations along the Blue Line,” the French President said.
Macron announced that France is working on a diplomatic line to reduce the existing escalation between Israel and Lebanon, stressing at the same time that this is “indispensable” to safeguard the lives of civilians and to prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region.
“There cannot be a war in Lebanon,” he stressed.
"There cannot be a war in Lebanon."
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the UNGA, calling for an end to Israel's escalations in Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/NMX5uHRcFD
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 25, 2024
“This is why we urge Israel to cease this escalation in Lebanon and to the (Lebanese movement) Hezbollah to cease the missile launch to Israel,” he added.
The French President appealed to all countries to halt the support they provide Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate the situation.
“We urge all of those who provide them with the means to do so to stop doing so,” he stated.
‘Blatant Violation’
The Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in his address Wednesday to the UN Security Council accentuated the need for “joint efforts by all members of the (UN) Security Council to pressure on Israel for an immediate cease-fire at all fronts,” in reference to Lebanon and Gaza, Anadolu said.
The Lebanese Prime Minister told the UNSC member states that Lebanon is facing “a blatant violation of our sovereignty and human rights,” according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).
Mikati warned of an all-out war if Israel is not stopped.
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Lebanon is the “victim of an electronic cyber aggression and of an air and maritime aggression that can turn into a ground aggression and can become an all-out regional war,” he said.
“We are witnessing today an unprecedented escalation resorting to new tools, especially electronic tools, to harm my people,” he added.
The Lebanese prime minister debunked Israel’s allegations that Israel is solely targeting Hezbollah fighters and its military capabilities.
“The aggressor is claiming that they are only targeting combatants and weapons, but I assure you that the hospitals of Lebanon are full of civilian injured people, including dozens of women and children,” he stressed as quoted by NNA.
Mikati expressed hope that the meeting will conclude with tangible decisions that will exert pressure on Israel to force it to abide by international resolutions “to achieve an immediate ceasefire on all fronts and to restore stability and security to our region.”
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‘Intolerable’
A joint statement issued by the United States and European Union along with Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, labeled the situation between Israel and Lebanon since October 8 as “intolerable.”
The statement added that the situation “presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation.”
“This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon,” the statement continued.
The signatories called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“We call for an immediate 21-day cease-fire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement consistent with UNSCR (UN Security Council Resolution) 1701, and the implementation of UNSCR 2735 regarding a cease-fire in Gaza, the statement read.
Border War
Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.
In recent weeks, however, the intensity of the fighting has increased, leading to concerns that an all-out war is imminent.
Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed and thousands wounded in continued Israeli airstrikes targeting southern and eastern Lebanon, along with southern suburbs in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Israel has occupied parts of Lebanon for decades and has only left the country in 2000, following stiff Lebanese resistance under Hezbollah’s leadership.
Israel attempted to re-occupy Lebanon in 2006 but failed in what Lebanon considers a major victory against Israel.
Israel, however, continues to occupy parts of Lebanon, namely the Sheeba Farms region.
Hezbollah has vowed to recover every inch of Lebanon that has been occupied by Israel contrary to international law.
(PC, Agencies)
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