South Africa condemns Israeli shelling of Lebanon, calls for end to bombing campaign

By Hassan Isilow

JOHNNESBURG (AA) - South Africa on Monday condemned Israel's continued bombardment of Lebanon, calling for an immediate end to the bombing campaign.

Israel’s bombing of Lebanon is a "serious violation" of the territory of a sovereign state, and a "grave violation of international law," Pretoria said in a statement.

South Africa called on the international community and the UN Security Council to be consistent with the defense of international law and international humanitarian law.

‘‘The international community cannot afford to remain indifferent,’’ a foreign ministry statement said, adding that “Israel continues to violate international humanitarian law with impunity in Gaza,’’

Pretoria condemned Israel’s attack on central Beirut last Thursday which, reportedly killed 22 civilians and injured over 117 more, in the deadliest attack on the city center since the war against Lebanon began.

‘‘The strikes hit a densely packed residential neighborhood of apartment buildings and small shops in the heart of the Lebanese capital,’’ it said.

Israel has launched a huge air campaign across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing at least 1,488 people, injuring over 4,297 others, and displacing more than 1.34 million people.

The aerial campaign is an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of its offensive on the Gaza Strip, in which Israel has killed more than 42,200 people, most of them women and children, since a Hamas attack last year.

Despite international warnings that the Mideast was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, it expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon.