The Foreign Minister of Lebanon on Thursday said that the crisis in his country demanded urgent international action as Israeli attacks threatened to set off "a domino effect", turning the entire Middle East region into "a black hole" of endless conflict.
"Today, we desperately need the United Nations to play its role as a refuge for small countries victimized by aggression, including my homeland, Lebanon," said Abdallah Bou Habib, denouncing Israel's attacks and calling for an end to the current conflict.
In his remarks to world leaders at the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Minister said: "What we are currently experiencing in Lebanon is due to the absence of a sustainable solution to the root of the crisis, which is occupation. To claim anything else would be a waste of time."
"So long as the occupation persists there will be instability and there will be war."
While reiterating that "at this very moment the future of Lebanon's people is imperiled," he described events over the past two weeks since the latest conflict had broken out.
As Israel continued its "incessant wars and aggression" through attacks on Lebanon's border region, "we have witnessed in recent days the repugnant, detestable example of the deliberate transformation of civilian telecommunications devices into ticking time bombs that were simultaneously exploded, claiming dozens of lives - including women and children - and resulting in thousands of people being maimed and disfigured."
While the world seemed immobile in the face of such aggression, Mr. Bou Habib welcomed declarations by the United States, France and other friendly nations to peruse the possibility of a "long-term calm" towards restoring stability along the border, as well as the return of displaced persons.
Lebanon has long striven, through the United Nations, to resolve border disputes with Israel, however Israel has continually disregarded the matter.
As such, "we are seeking refuge within the decisions of international law," including through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which Lebanon had helped draft.
"Even though the UN has thus far been unable to protect us from Israeli aggression, we remain committed to this Organization as a frontline defense against occupation, violence and oppression," the Foreign Minister stated.
Having faced this bitter reality, Lebanon believes that "dialogue is a viable alternative to war," he said, reiterating his country's commitment to international law including Security Council resolution 1701.
Lebanon remained dedicated to the aims of that text "which has been effective in establishing a degree of relative calm in southern Lebanon."
He added that his country's commitment to that resolution was also a reaffirmation of the importance of cooperation and support from the international community to overcome challenges to bolster peace and security in the country.
"From this rostrum we warn against this aggression and the propensity to play with fire ... which will set aflame the entire Middle East," said Mr. Bou Habib, underscoring Lebanon's rejection of war, while recalling its right to protect itself as set out in the UN Charter and in international law.
Lebanon, he continued was exhausting every effort and seeking all means to ensure that it "does not fall into the Israeli trap, which aims to extend and prolong war."
"Has Israel not grown tired of war since 1948? When will Israel want peace? When will it tire of resorting to the language of fire and steel?" he asked.
