LEBANON; ARABS, FRANCE AND USA CALL FOR CEASEFIRE

While Israel has been striking Beirut and Syria in Lebanon in order to punish Hezbollah, various countries have joined together in the framework of the UN General Assembly to demand a ceasefire for 21 days. Israel has not responded to this request.

The countries demanding it are: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Emirates, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia and the United States. In a joint statement, the allies said the recent fighting is “intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation”.

The objective of this statement is to initiate negotiations with Israel and Hezbollah in order to reach a truce, first of all, and to establish a longer-term ceasefire. The desired thing is a permanent ceasefire. The United States has stated that it “strongly supports” the text presented at the United Nations.

But in the meantime, on the third day of Israeli air strikes against Lebanon, another 51 Lebanese have died. “Innocents are being massacred,” the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has once again stated.

In this regard, it is worth noting what one of CNN's commentators said: “Wars that are waged to seek peace are almost always unsuccessful.” The truth is: They are normally of choice: pre-emptively attacking to neutralize a perceived threat. Israel and Hezbollah have been stuck in the tit-for-tat horror of escalation chicken for nearly a year.

But over the past week Israel has clearly decided to massively amplify its attacks on the Iran-backed militant group, claiming, according to some reports, they seek to “escalate to deescalate” – to cow their adversary into a diplomatic solution.

What is clear is that the sorcerer's apprentice in this scenario is none other than Israel. Based on the idea that war is good, according to Prime Minister Netanyahu's thinking, a scenario is presented in which there is no truce, no negotiations, no diplomatic efforts. What is happening is regrettable.

Speaking at the National Assembly on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that “there can be no war in Lebanon.” Fine words, but the answer is in the hands of the Jewish state. 

Macron said that: “The grammar of peace and stability must be redefined because the lines have shifted radically as a result of the crisis, but in fact, well before the crisis, due to the withdrawal of the US, which had been the guarantor of last resort in a now overwhelmed international system.

 The hegemonic affirmation from other powers due to this disengagement, the projection of China outside its borders, the strengthening of European sovereignty. All these substantive trends should lead us to rethink the forms of our joint action to ensure peace and security.

 The action principles in this area must be clear and we must no longer hesitate to implement them. Compliance with the sovereign rights of peoples, consolidating the rule of law and its means of implementation, the requirement and responsibility for the effective implementation of decisions taken under the United Nations.”