South Lebanon may become 'another Gaza' in Israel-Iran conflict, EU foreign policy chief warns

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday issued a grim warning about the faith of southern Lebanon, which may become another Gaza due to the confrontation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

"Maybe South Lebanon is also becoming another Gaza, becoming the battlefield of the confrontation between Israel and Iran," Borrell said during his address to the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

Highlighting the deepening Israeli-Iranian conflict in Lebanon, Borrell said the country is increasingly becoming a battlefield in the broader regional struggle, leaving Lebanese society "kidnapped" by this confrontation.

Borrell added that Lebanon may soon follow Gaza’s fate as the Israeli-Iranian conflict intensifies in the region.

"We will enter into a never-ending spiral," Borrell said, emphasizing that the conflict's current path could deepen instability across the region.

Speaking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Borrell pointed to the inability of the international community, particularly the US, to secure a cease-fire despite its significant leverage in the region.

"(US) President (Joe) Biden announced weeks ago that he had a plan, an Israeli plan, yet no agreement has been reached,” Borrell said, emphasizing the power and influence of the US, which has been unable to bring about peace.

Borrell stressed the urgent need to rethink peace strategies, advocating for immediate efforts toward a two-state solution, rather than waiting for a cease-fire that may never come.

"If you want to build the two-state solution, don’t wait for the cease-fire. Start working on it from now on," Borrell urged, calling the current approach of "first stopping the war and then starting peace" ineffective in light of the harsh realities on the ground.

Gaza could devolve into chaos comparable to Somalia, which has been plagued by insecurity for years, while the West Bank risks turning into another Gaza, he added.

Borrell also warned that the continued conflict could unravel recent progress in Arab-Israeli relations, putting at risk the significant diplomatic gains made through normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.

He further noted that Hamas, though recognized as a "terrorist organization", is also an "idea," stressing that military action alone will not be enough to eradicate its influence.

"The only way of winning over an idea is by proposing a better one," he said, cautioning against the continued reliance on military force without addressing the underlying political causes of the conflict.

Israel has pounded Lebanon since Monday morning, killing over 700 people and injuring nearly 2,200 others, according to figures released by the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ministry also said that the death toll in Lebanon since last October is 1,540, in addition to more than 77,000 displaced from southern and eastern parts of the country.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,500 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of turning the Gaza conflict into a regional war.