UN experts condemn heightened tension in Middle East, calls for immediate cease-fire

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - A group of UN experts on Tuesday condemned the heightened tension in the Middle East and called for an immediate cease-fire in the region, according to a press release issued by the UN human rights office.

“Independent experts today deplored escalating violence in the Middle East, including a rocket apparently fired from Lebanon that killed 12 children in Syria’s Golan Heights, occupied by Israel, and Israel’s alleged killing in response of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Lebanon,” the release said.

Also condemning the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the experts said: “We are extremely concerned by these killings, which violate the human right to life and risk perilous further escalation of violence and displacement in the region.”

Urging all parties to immediately cease fire on all fronts to protect civilian lives, the experts called on the UN Security Council “to fulfill its responsibility to effectively respond to all actors in the region whose actions threaten international peace and security,” according to the press release.

Tension has escalated between Hezbollah and Israel since Tel Aviv assassinated senior military commander Fuad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb on July 30.

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran the following day. Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, while Tel Aviv has not yet confirmed or denied its responsibility.

Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against the killing of Shukr as cross-border fire between the two sides continued to rage in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza which has killed more than 39,600 people since last October following an attack by Hamas.