Belgium says hostilities in Mideast need to stop before 'whole region becomes engulfed in violence'

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Belgium's prime minister has voiced concern over the escalating violence along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier, calling for a stop to the violence.

In an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Alexander De Croo said that in the Middle East, decades of dehumanizing the enemy have led to a vicious cycle of violence, resulting in the killing of over 41,000 Palestinians in less than a year.

"Across the globe, human dignity and the rule of law are receding, and in many cases they are absent," he said Tuesday.

De Croo said that as respect for human life and the promise of the rule of law "fades," armed conflict looms large, adding that history might not repeat itself, but "it surely rhymes in the Middle East."

"This man-made conflict has proven one of the deadliest in decades, and this conflict didn't start with the horrific terrorist attack against Israel, killing over 1,400 Israeli citizens almost a year ago," said De Croo.

His government acknowledges Israel's "right to defend itself" and has pushed for the unconditional release of all hostages, De Croo noted.

The Belgian premier said they also warned against the lack of respect for international humanitarian law on both sides and the "disproportionate attacks with the blatant disregard for Palestinian civilian life."

"Almost one year later, we must certainly acknowledge that the extremes on both sides still set the tone of this conflict. Fanatics believe that military power can end this conflict. This is a delusion to achieve peace."

De Croo added that there is a need for a proper roadmap and political courage, "not mere tactics to remain in power another day."

- 15,000 people with lost limbs

Stressing that Belgium has been calling for an immediate and lasting cease-fire for many months, he added that today "it seems more distant than ever."

"Hostilities need to stop before the whole region becomes engulfed in violence," he warned.

Stressing the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which he said "lies in rubble," De Croo said over 15,000 people need prosthetics due to lost limbs, including thousands of children.

"Where is human dignity in all of this? However, there is a way out. I'm convinced that it starts with the recognition of the right to exist of both Israel and Palestine based on the 1967 borders," he stressed.

Israel has launched waves of deadly airstrikes on Lebanon since early Monday, killing nearly 610 victims and injuring more than 2,000, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza, which has killed more than 41,400 victims, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of spreading the Gaza conflict regionally.