Contentious debate about pre-UN Security Council pager detonations
After the violent Pager explosions in Lebanon, Israel's Foreign Minister is confronted by Lebanon's Foreign Minister before the UN Security Council, implying that Israel is becoming a rogue nation. Israel's UN Ambassador does not dismiss the possibility of future attacks against Hezbollah and urges the Beirut government to take action against terrorism themselves.
Israel has not ruled out more attacks on the Hezbollah militia before the UN Security Council. "We cannot allow Hezbollah to keep instigating violence. These actions go against international law, and Israel will protect itself," stated Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon before the world's most powerful UN body in New York. He highlighted that Hezbollah has launched over 8,000 rockets at Israel since the Islamic Hamas terror attack a year ago, resulting in numerous deaths and displacements.
Danon accused Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib of not even mentioning Hezbollah in his address to the Security Council. "You've allowed a terrorist organization to establish itself within your nation, leading to your own people's downfall. Instead of pointing fingers at your peaceful neighbors, now is the time to counteract Hezbollah," the diplomat said.
Danon emphasized that Lebanon and its government are not the issue in this conflict. Together, they can find a solution. The real problem is Hezbollah. Ever since the Gaza war, there has been a near-daily exchange of fire between Israel and the radical Islamic Hezbollah militia. This constant mutual shelling has evolved into a low-intensity war. Hezbollah, which is funded and trained by Iran, is considered a powerful political force in Lebanon that is on the verge of collapse. Claiming to represent solidarity with the Islamic Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah is responsible for a significant amount of violence in the region.
Lebanon's Foreign Minister: Israel is a rogue state
Earlier, Lebanese Foreign Minister Bou Habib had warned the UN Security Council of the risk of a major war. "Either this Council forces Israel to halt its aggression," Bou Habib said in New York, "or we will be silent witnesses to the imminent explosion on the horizon today." Before it's too late, "you must comprehend that this explosion will not spare the East or the West and will push us back into a dark age."
Bou Habib accused Israel of orchestrating the attack using explosive pagers and communication devices in his country. The minister displayed a picture in the council that appeared to show a bloody hand with blown-off fingers. He claimed that thousands of pagers had been detonated. At least 37 people died in the explosions of the manipulated devices on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Lebanese authorities. Around 3,000 others were injured, including not only Hezbollah members but also civilians, including children.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Possible war crimes?
Israel has yet to acknowledge responsibility for the attacks. It is apparent that Israel is disregarding international and humanitarian law, Bou Habib continued. "If Israel carries out such acts, all we see is mild expressions of regret, which embolden Israel to ignore international resolutions. No international resolutions have been implemented against Israel since 1948," Bou Habib asserted. Israel is assumed to be a rogue state.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, equated Israel's alleged use of hundreds of explosive pagers and wireless devices in Lebanon to a potential war crime. "If the attacker cannot determine the compatibility of the attack with the binding principles of international law, particularly its effects on the civilian population, the attack should not be carried out," Türk told the UN Security Council. "International humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby traps in the form of seemingly harmless, portable objects specifically designed to contain explosive material. Terrorizing the civilian population is a war crime," Türk noted.
The following paragraphs shall apply to the ongoing tensions between Israel and Lebanon, as Lebanon's Foreign Minister accuses Israel of being a rogue state due to their alleged involvement in the violent Pager explosions in Lebanon. This accusation was made during a UN Security Council meeting, where Israel's Foreign Minister and UN Ambassador both defended their country's actions and urged Lebanon to tackle terrorism within its borders.
