“We are alarmed by the increasing toll of hostilities along the Blue Line and beyond. We are gravely concerned about the very high number of civilian casualties, the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and health care centers. The growing number of internally displaced persons in Lebanon is alarming. Displaced persons on both sides of the Blue Line must be allowed to return their homes in safety and security. We remain concerned about the massive displacement of Lebanese people and Syrian refugees in Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. We urge the respect of international humanitarian law in all circumstances.
We support the ongoing negotiation for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the full implementation of UNSC resolution 1701 (2006). Now is the time to conclude a diplomatic settlement and we welcome efforts deployed in that regard. We emphasize again the role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose posture should be strengthened, in order to fulfill their respective responsibilities. In this regard, we express deep concern over the recent attacks and strikes on UNIFIL, which have injured several peacekeepers and damaged facilities. We condemn any threats to the security of UNIFIL personnel and call on all parties to uphold their obligations to ensure their safety, allowing them to fulfill their mandate.
We welcome discussions held at the Humanitarian Conference organized in the framework of the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Development in Pescara on October 22 with countries from the region and International Organizations, and at the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s people and Sovereignty hosted in Paris on October 24, to assess and address the urgent humanitarian needs in the region and accelerate coordination to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population.”