Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Bou Habib warned the UN Security Council of a further escalation in the Middle East. He accused Israel of terrorism. The country must stop its attacks or the world will witness a “major explosion”. Lebanon accused Israel of “terrorism” before the UN Security Council following the mass explosion of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the Hezbollah militia. Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said at an emergency meeting of the body that the explosions, in which 37 people were killed and almost 3,000 injured in two waves on Tuesday and Wednesday, were “an unprecedented method of warfare that is striking in its brutality and terror”. The victims were not only Hezbollah members, but also civilians such as children.
Explosion, die “uns ins dunkle Zeitalter zurückwerfen wird.”
Er bezeichnete Israel als “Schurkenstaat”. Die Explosionen seien ausgelöst worden, “ohne Rücksicht darauf, wer sie trägt oder wer sich um sie herum befindet”. Zwischendurch hielt er ein Bild im Rat hoch, dass eine blutige Hand mit abgesprengten Fingern zu zeigen schien.
Bou Habib warnte vor Gefahr eines großen Krieges. “Entweder zwingt dieser Rat Israel, seine Aggression einzustellen”, sagte Bou Habib vor dem UN-Sicherheitsrat in New York, “oder wir werden stumme Zeugen der großen Explosion sein, die sich heute am Horizont abzeichnet.” Bevor es zu spät sei, “müssen Sie verstehen, dass diese Explosion weder den Osten noch den Westen verschonen und uns ins dunkle Zeitalter zurückwerfen wird.”
Israel wants to “target terrorists”
Israel has not yet publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks. It is clear that Israel is not complying with international law and humanitarian law, Bou Habib continued. “When Israel commits such acts, we only see timid expressions of regret that encourage Israel to disregard international resolutions, none of which have been implemented against Israel since 1948.” Israel has become a rogue state.
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon declined to comment on the explosions of communications equipment in Lebanon. “But I can tell you that we will do everything in our power to target these terrorists,” he said. Israel has “no intention of starting a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, but we cannot continue like this,” Danon said. His country prefers a diplomatic solution and wants to “prevent” further escalation.
UN Ambassador: Finding a solution together
Danon stressed that Hezbollah has fired more than 8,000 rockets at Israel since the Islamist Hamas terrorist attack a year ago. Dozens of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced.
Danon accused Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib of not even mentioning Hezbollah’s name in his speech to the Security Council. “You have allowed a terrorist organization to establish a state, a state within your state, which is bringing ruin to your own people. Instead of blaming us, your peaceful neighbors, you should now take measures to contain Hezbollah,” said the diplomat. Danon stressed that Lebanon and its government are not the problem in the conflict. Together they can find a solution. But the problem is Hezbollah.
Türk: Pager explosions violate international law
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk described the explosions of the communications devices before the Security Council as a violation of international humanitarian law. This prohibits “the use of booby traps in the form of apparently harmless portable objects,” Türk added.
It is “a war crime to use violence to spread fear and terror among the civilian population.” He was “horrified by the scale and impact of the attacks.” The Human Rights Commissioner spoke of a “new quality of warfare” when civilian devices are misused as weapons. An independent and transparent investigation is now needed into who was responsible for the attacks.
Russia speaks of “barbaric attack”
The American deputy UN ambassador Robert Wood called on all actors in the region to avoid further escalation. The US government will do everything to find a diplomatic solution. However, Israel must also be able to defend itself against Hezbollah’s constant rocket attacks.
“Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah. No member of this council would tolerate daily rocket attacks by a terrorist organization on its border and the expulsion of tens of thousands of its citizens,” said Wood.
Great Britain and France also emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense and called on Hezbollah to stop the rocket attacks on Israel and to withdraw from the border area. China and Russia, on the other hand, condemned Israel’s actions. Russia’s UN ambassador said his country viewed the “barbaric attack” as a terrorist attack. And China’s UN ambassador called on Western states to prevent Israel from carrying out future attacks of this kind.
“Israel and Hezbollah’s calculations will not change”
“Israel has dealt Hezbollah a very strong psychological and tactical blow that is devastating,” Fawaz Gerges, Middle East expert and professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, told the Wall Street Journal. However, this week’s attacks would not change the strategic calculation between Hezbollah and Israel. “Anyone who knows Hezbollah from the inside will tell you that these attacks will harden Hezbollah’s stance and make it even more determined to resist and continue on its path,” the expert said.
Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute think tank told the Wall Street Journal that Israel wants to neutralize Hezbollah’s ability to wage war by attacking key personnel, telecommunications networks and weapons systems. He predicted more such attacks, possibly against long-range missiles carrying larger warheads and precision-guided munitions.
“This is more than just a message,” Levitt said. “It is intended to pull the rug out from under Hezbollah’s military capabilities and ensure that it no longer poses the threat that it has been threatening very specifically and for much longer over the past eleven months.”