Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has a statement He said he had “critical discussions with the relevant parties and member states in the region, including Lebanon, Egypt and Qatar, in support of regional de-escalation”.
“I have stressed the urgency of addressing the growing risk of a serious escalation, which a substantial threat to regional stability“, he said. “We have continued efforts to mediate and de-escalate the situation and explored ways to prevent the conflict from spreading.”
The envoy “affirmed the need for urgent, coordinated action to prevent further deterioration of the situation”.
He stressed that it is crucial to “act decisively and collectively to address the immediate threats and lay the foundations for lasting peace”.
© UNIFIL
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, visits the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Peace mission leader also calls for de-escalation
In related developments,
The head of UN peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, concluded a four-day visit to Lebanon on Friday – as part of a broader mission to the Middle East – by emphasizing the need for de-escalation and a return to an end to hostilities.
During meetings with senior officials, the peacekeeping chief stressed the risk of a larger conflagration and called for maximum restraint and an end to the ongoing, intense firefights across the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel.
Mr. Lacroix also met members of the diplomatic corps, as well as UN officials and peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIT).
Challenging times
During his visit to UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura and the area of operations, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro provided Mr. Lacroix with the latest updates on the situation in the area and along the Blue Line. He was also briefed on the mission’s best efforts to prevent further escalation.
“I commend the role played by UNIFIL leadership and peacekeepers in ensuring the link between the parties, limiting the risk of miscalculations and preventing further escalation in these very challenging times,” said Mr Lacroix.
“Contacts with authorities on both sides should be intensified and maintained to promote a return to the cessation of hostilities and a renewed commitment to peace. Resolution 1701 as a path to a long-term diplomatic solution.”
Adopted by the UN Security Council In August 2006, Resolution 1701 aimed to end the war that year between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
“Current events further demonstrate that this resolution is now even more relevant,” Mr Lacroix said. “It remains the right framework to make progress towards a permanent ceasefire.”
