In a joint statement on Friday 6 June, the EU High Representative and the foreign ministers of Finland, Denmark, Estonia, France, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden, as well as Iceland, Norway, Canada and Australia, underlined their “profound concern over the continued escalation of hostilities in Lebanon”.
Welcoming the efforts made to implement the ceasefire, the High Representative and the ministers call on all parties to show the utmost restraint, to fully respect the ceasefire, to refrain from any action likely to lead to further escalation and to ensure the protection of civilians. Furthermore, all parties must respect international law, including international humanitarian law, and Israel must respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and put an end to its military escalation, the ministers added.
They encourage continued engagement in ongoing diplomatic efforts to establish lasting stability and security for Lebanon and Israel through negotiation.
Lastly, the ministers expressed their support for the Lebanese government’s efforts to extend its authority throughout the country, in particular by strengthening state institutions and the Lebanese security forces and disarming Hezbollah, which “must cease its attacks on Israel”.
Despite the ceasefire introduced in mid-April, the strikes continue. Nearly 3,500 people are thought to have been killed by Israeli strikes since the beginning of March. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)