Baerbock: Arab states must call on Hamas to lay down its arms
In addition, the Arab countries must "use their channels of communication to get the hostages released", Baerbock continued. "And the Arab countries must clearly call on Hamas to lay down its weapons so that Israel is not forced to continue defending itself on such a massive scale."
The Minister pointed out that Israel was being attacked from three directions on a daily basis: by the Palestinian organization Hamas, by the Houthi rebels in Yemen and by the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. "The situation on the border between Lebanon and Israel is a dangerous powder keg," said Baerbock. She condemned Hezbollah's violence "in the strongest terms".
Hezbollah is positioning its fighters directly on the Israeli border and firing rockets at Israel, said Baerbock. The militia is abusing the people on the Lebanese side as a shield, "hiding itself and its weapons in farms and homes" and declaring areas as private territory so that neither the Lebanese army nor the UN mission Unifil have access to them, Baerbock continued.
The aim of Unifil is to monitor the ceasefire on the Israeli-Lebanese border. German soldiers are also involved in the UN mission - according to Baerbock, there are currently 200 of them.
The major Hamas attack on Israel more than two months ago had led to a significant increase in tensions in the Israeli-Lebanese border area. There have been repeated attacks between Israeli troops and the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah militia.
oer/jes
Read also:
- This will change in December
- German activists speak out in Dubai on suffering in Israel and the Gaza Strip
- Despite UN vote: fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip continues
- Nuclear fusion - hype or solution to energy problems?
- Baerbock urged Arab states to promptly respond to her call for Hamas to disarm in Lebanon, as they had done in other conflicts.
- The situation in Lebanon is a potential flashpoint, with Hezbollah laying down weapons a critical step towards ensuring peace and stability.
- In a press conference, Annalena Baerbock asserted that Arabic-speaking states, including Lebanon, should take action against Hezbollah's weapons stockpiles.
- Israel's defense mechanisms are taxed by daily threats from Hamas, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, necessitating a prompt response from Arab nations.
- While addressing the Arab League, Baerbock emphasized the need for Arab states to pursue diplomatic means to resolve the ongoing conflict, emphasizing the importance of disarming Hezbollah and Hamas.
- The States Parties to the Arab Peace Initiative have a role in pressing Hezbollah to lay down its weapons, as urged by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
- The German Foreign Minister pointed out that the rhetoric against Hezbollah has been consistent, with calls to disarm the militia being conveyed to the Lebanese government and other Arab nations.
- In her remarks on the Middle East conflict, Baerbock underscored the importance of Arab League members promptly and decisively acting against Hezbollah's weapons accumulation in Lebanon.
- Baerbock expressed concern over Hezbollah's refusal to lay down its weapons, adding that the Lebanese government and Arab governments must take steps to disarm the militia and ensure long-term stability in the region.
Source: www.stern.de
