Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d'Affaires to
the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Lebanon.
"The United Kingdom joined the call for this meeting, alongside
European and other partners, to address the serious escalation of
violence across the Blue Line and in Lebanon.
We strongly condemn Lebanese Hezbollah's ongoing attacks against
Israel and the region, which must cease. These
actions – on behalf of the Iranian regime – have cost
lives and have once again drawn Lebanese civilians into a
conflict they do not want.
As we heard from the briefers today, the escalating violence has
already had a devastating impact on civilians on both sides of
the Blue Line. We do not want to see a widening conflict in
Lebanon.
We are concerned by the civilian impact of Israeli military
action in Lebanon including large-scale displacement. Access to
essential and life‑saving medical services is also becoming much
more difficult, with five hospitals reportedly closed due to the
fighting. We call upon Israel to uphold its obligations under
international law, including with regard to protection of
civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The United Kingdom is working closely with the Lebanese
Government and humanitarian partners to support those affected by
the current escalation.
The United Kingdom expresses its strong support to UNIFIL and
urges respect for the mission's freedom of movement as it
implements its mandate. We are deeply concerned by the 6 March
strike on UNIFIL which seriously injured several Ghanaian
peacekeepers, I take this opportunity to express our hopes for
their swift and full recovery from their injuries.
We once again underscore that attacks on peacekeepers are
completely unacceptable, and we urge all parties to ensure the
safety and security of UNIFIL personnel, in accordance with
international law.
The United Kingdom welcomes President Aoun's call for direct
negotiations between the Governments of Israel and Lebanon and we
encourage both governments to engage diplomatically and work
towards de-escalation and full implementation of resolution 1701.
We also commend the decision by the Lebanese Government to ban
all Hezbollah's military activities. We continue to support the
Lebanese Armed Forces as the sole legitimate armed force in
Lebanon.
Expansion of the conflict across the Blue Line is in no one's
interest and risks further destabilising Lebanon and exacerbating
the regional crisis. We are committed to playing a full
diplomatic role in efforts to secure lasting peace and security
for the people of Lebanon and people of Israel."
