UN Security Council meets in emergency session over Lebanon

United Nations, Sep 21 (IANS) The UN Security Council has met in an emergency session on Lebanon, following an uptick in cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, and deadly wireless device explosions targeting members of the militant group.

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, said on Friday that alarming developments in Lebanon and the region have come after nearly one year of hostilities on an almost daily basis across the Blue Line, a buffer zone separating Israel and Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported.

“These exchanges have been a repeated breach of the cessation of hostilities and in violation of (Security Council) resolution 1701,” she said.

Abdallah Bou Habib, Lebanon’s foreign minister, said “Israel, through this terrorist aggression, has violated the basic principles of international humanitarian law … and indiscriminately targeted civilians.”

Denouncing Israel as “a rogue state,” he called on the council to condemn the recent attacks, implement resolution 1701 and stand on the right side of history.

“Isn’t this terrorism when you target a whole population while they tend to their daily life and not fighting on the front?” he asked.

Speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations Koussay Aldahhak said the devastating recent attacks were deployed without any regard to international law or to humanity.

He said the Arab Group demands the Security Council condemn this cyberterrorism and Israel’s aggressions against the Palestinian people in Gaza and attacks on other countries, including Syria.

In his national capacity, Aldahhak said Syria condemns the aggression and ongoing terrorism against the Lebanese people.

Speaking in his national capacity, Samuel Zbogar of Slovenia, which holds the Security Council presidency for September, said “We are stepping in a dangerous new territory and as new technology is being used and developed, we underline the need to respect the existing legal obligations.”

He called on the Security Council to act before the situation in the region spirals beyond control, emphasizing that diplomacy must be the only path forward.

Danny Danon, Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said his country did not seek the war, stating that on October 8, when Israeli citizens in the south were being “slaughtered” by Hamas, Hezbollah “unleased hundreds of rockets” in the north against civilians.

He said that since then, more than 8,000 rockets have “rained down” on Israel, killing 46 people and injuring a further 294. Danon added that Israel’s objective is to “restore security to our northern borders” and “bring our people home.”

“We are very concerned at the heightened escalation across the Blue Line, including the deadly strike we saw on Beirut today,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at a daily briefing.

He urged all parties to de-escalate immediately, exercise “maximum restraint” and “immediately return to the cessation of hostilities and to fully implement Security Council resolution 1701.”

Warning that the region is “on the brink of a catastrophe,” he said all efforts should focus on finding a diplomatic solution.

–IANS

int/sha