UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY UK MINISTER FOR MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA
By Necva Tastan Sevinc and Nur Asena Erturk
ISTANBUL (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he regrets Israel's continued attacks in Lebanon, expressing disappointment that the call for a 21-day pause in hostilities, made jointly with US President Joe Biden, has not been considered yet.
“I regret that Israel continues its military operations in southern Lebanon, in Beirut, and elsewhere, and that the number of civilian victims continues to grow," Macron said during an aid conference to Lebanon in Paris.
He noted that he regrets "the appeal President Biden and ... (he) made on September 25 for a 21-day pause in hostilities has not yet been heeded."
Emphasizing the urgent need for a cease-fire to protect civilians affected by the conflict, he announced that the country will pledge €100 million ($106 million) in aid to Lebanon in response to an urgent UN appeal, which calls for €426 million to assist the country.
“We must shelter families, feed children, and ensure that students continue their education,” he said.
Criticizing Israel for continuing its military operations in Lebanon, leading to a growing number of civilian casualties, he said: "The war must end as soon as possible; there must be a cease-fire in Lebanon."
He expressed solidarity with Lebanon, stressing the urgent need for humanitarian assistance amid rising displacement due to ongoing Israeli military operations.
"The full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 by all parties remains critical to achieving peace and security," he added.
Macron also said: "Once a cease-fire is negotiated, France will accompany the redeployment of the Lebanese armed forces in the south, supporting it through UNIFIL (UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon) and contributing to the army's equipment."
The deployment "must be strong, verifiable, and operational," he further added.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, for his part, reiterated the call for an immediate cease-fire which could “have an immediate impact of calming tensions” in southern Lebanon and lead the path to “sustainable long-term stability” and “a diplomatic track.”
“The loss of Lebanese civilian lives and destruction could have been avoided if Israel had agreed to endorse the joint statement issued on September 25th, which was led by US and France,” Mikati deplored.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the conference in a video message, and urged “friends of Lebanon to support the ongoing humanitarian response efforts, including by providing rapid funding of the Lebanon Flash Appeal.”
He regretted the grave situation in the region, and noted that “what is happening in Lebanon today is not an isolated phenomenon.”
Guterres warned against the “growing threat of a major conflagration between Israel and Iran that would upend the entire region,” and reiterated his call for a cease-fire in Lebanon and Gaza.
Meanwhile, speaking at the Lebanon Support Conference in Paris, Hamish Falconer, the UK's minister for the Middle East and North Africa, said: "The situation in Lebanon is worsening daily, and civilian casualties are mounting."
Emphasizing the immense risk of further escalation, Falconer said: "We cannot let Lebanon become another Gaza."
"This is why today the UK repeats our call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah," he added.
Israel has mounted a huge air campaign in Lebanon since last month against what it says are Hezbollah targets in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the group since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza.
At least 2,574 people have been killed and more than 12,000 injured in Israeli attacks since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 this year by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.