Sunday, 22 December 2024
Sunday, 22 December 2024
Israel continued carpet bombing Lebanon, killing over 700 people, as 193 member states took part in the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 27.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict has displaced more than 90,000 people since September 23 and 30,000 people have crossed into Syria from Lebanon in the last 72 hours, according to UN data.
“Get out of the death trap that Hezbollah has put you in," Israel’s President Benjamin Netanyahu said at the UN General Assembly, apparently addressing Lebanon.
"Don’t let Nasrallah drag Lebanon into the abyss. We’re not at war with you. We’re at war with Hezbollah, which has hijacked your country and threatens to destroy our.”
Several diplomats walked out during his speech in protest, videos showed. A few world leaders openly contested Netanyahu. Here is what they said.
Slovenia: 'Mr Netanyahu, stop this war now'
Prime minister of Slovenia Robert Golob asked for “a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon”.
At the UN, he said: “I want to say this out loud and clear to the Israeli government: Stop the bloodshed, stop the suffering, bring the hostages home, and end the occupation. Mr Netanyahu, stop this war now."
Malta: 'Dangerous and deeply worrying escalation'
Prime minister of Malta Robert Abela said that “much of the world’s attention” had been on Israel and Gaza since October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people.
He said he was disturbed that the conflict between Hamas and Israel “now expanded to a dangerous and deeply worrying escalation in Lebanon.”
“We stand firm in our belief that we must all strive to ensure that the flames of this conflict do not engulf the whole region,” he added.
Australia: 'Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza'
Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong said: "It is now nearly 300 days since Australia and 152 other countries voted for a ceasefire. And today, I repeat that call just as I repeat Australia’s call for a ceasefire in Lebanon and for parties to fully implement Resolution 1701,” she said.
The UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for an “immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations".
Wong added: “Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza.”
Tunisia: 'Stop these crimes against humanity'
Tunisia's foreign minister Mohamed Ali Nafti said his country strongly condemned “the attacks on brotherly Lebanon” that targeted “its people” and threatened “its stability and security at a time” when other countries were meeting at the UN.
“We call upon the Security Council to take a firm stance to stop these crimes against humanity without delay,” he said.
Barbados: 'There's no justification for it'
The strongest rebuff to Netanyahu's Israel came from Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, who spoke right after Netanyahu.
“In the midst of this maelstrom, we were very clear. My country took the step this year of recognizing and establishing diplomatic relations with the state of Palestine in spite of having supported a two-state solution since 1969,” she said.
“We did this because it is clear to us that the state and people of Palestine, human beings are entitled to full recognition by integration into and support from the international community,” she continued.
“The [UN] Charter does not say 'We the People' with the exception of any one group from any one part of the world. We join with others there in congratulating the state of Palestine and taking their seat among the United Nations member states as they did on the 10th of September of this year,” Mottley said to applause.
“And let me be clear, we condemn the actions of Hamas on October 7th. But we equally and strongly deplore the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which is the result of the disproportionate use of force by Israel. There's no justification for it,” she said.
Pakistan: 'Not just a conflict, this is a systematic slaughter'
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called Israel's actions in Gaza a systematic slaughter of innocent Palestinians.
“In a span of a few days, Israel's unrelenting bombing of Lebanon has killed over 500 people including women and even small children,” he said.
On the israel-Palestine conflict, he said: “This is not just a conflict, this is a systematic slaughter of innocent Palestinians. An assault on the very essence of human life and dignity. The blood of Gazan children stains not just the hands of the oppressors but also those complicit in prolonging this cruel conflict."
