17 nations demand urgent de-escalation in Lebanon; condemn 'mass civilian casualties'
Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom all signed the statement
A coalition of 17 nations, including the United Kingdom, France, and Australia, issued a joint statement Monday demanding an immediate de-escalation in Lebanon and a return to diplomatic negotiations between Beirut and Jerusalem.
The ministers warned that continued fighting risks undermining 'fragile regional efforts' to reduce tensions and insisted that Lebanon be fully integrated into broader peace initiatives.
The group of Foreign Ministers expressed strong support for Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s initiative to open direct talks with Israel, as well as Israel’s agreement to engage in US-facilitated negotiations, urging both parties to seize the current momentum for a lasting political solution.
However, the call for diplomacy was paired with sharp condemnations of recent violence. The ministers denounced Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks against Israel and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities. Simultaneously, the coalition condemned Israeli airstrikes carried out on April 8, which Lebanese authorities report killed more than 350 people and wounded over 1,000. The statement emphasized that both civilians and infrastructure must be protected under international law.
The safety of United Nations peacekeepers also took center stage, with the ministers condemning recent attacks on the UNIFIL mission and demanding that their security be guaranteed.
The 17 countries also pledged to coordinate emergency assistance for the more than one million displaced persons currently caught in the crossfire.