On the evening of Thursday 28 November, the High Representative of the Union, Josep Borrell, speaking on behalf of the EU, welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and praised the mediation efforts of France and the United States, which made this agreement possible.
“This is a significant achievement, which the EU and its Member States have been repeatedly calling for throughout this year”, stressed the High Representative.
According to Mr Borrell, it is now “crucial that the ceasefire holds as agreed, to guarantee the safety of people in both Lebanon and Israel, and to allow internally displaced people on both sides of the border to return to their homes”. A few hours before this statement was published, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out an air strike against a Hezbollah installation in southern Lebanon.
According to the High Representative, respect for the ceasefire requires above all the commitment of both parties: “The sovereignty of both Lebanon and Israel must be fully respected and all cross-border attacks must stop”. The EU also calls on all regional and international stakeholders to actively support the ceasefire.
The EU and its Member States are determined as well to mobilise a wide range of EU instruments, including the European Peace Facility, to support the Lebanese armed forces and UNIFIL. In addition, he EU will continue its humanitarian aid and will be involved in the initial post-conflict recovery and reconstruction efforts, promised the High Representative. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)