German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned on Wednesday that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could lead to the “complete destabilization” of Lebanon, with dangerous consequences for the entire Middle East, as she arrived in Beirut.
“A complete destabilization of the country would be fatal for the most religiously diverse society in the Middle East, and also for the entire region,” Baerbock said in the Lebanese capital ahead of talks with Lebanese politicians and aid organizations.
She argued that Israel has “succeeded in significantly weakening the terrorist organization Hezbollah” in recent weeks, amid a wave of Israeli attacks on targets in Beirut and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.
“Now we must work with our partners in the US, Europe and the Arab world to find a viable diplomatic solution that protects the legitimate security interests of Israel and Lebanon,” Baerbock said.
Germany’s foreign minister said the key to peace lies in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia to withdraw from southern Lebanon to protect the people of northern Israel.
Amid the fighting, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon is becoming increasingly desperate, Baerbock emphasizes.
She condemned “how irresponsibly terrorists hide behind civilians and continue to fire rockets at Israel,” while demanding that Israel respect international humanitarian law and protect innocents.
She also insisted that UN peacekeepers must be protected after a number of attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in recent weeks were blamed on Israeli forces.
“Any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a violation of international humanitarian law,” she warned.
