German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 23, 2024, as reported by Reuters.
Upon her arrival in the conflict-ridden country, Baerbock issued a stark warning, stating that "Lebanon is on the brink of collapse." Amid ongoing clashes between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, she also emphasized that "any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a violation of international humanitarian law."
This marks Baerbock's 12th visit to the Middle East since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel's war in Gaza and subsequently against Hezbollah in Lebanon. "The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is deteriorating daily," she noted at the outset of her trip, which Berlin had not disclosed earlier due to security concerns. "Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing with their last possessions, children are being separated from their families, and hospitals are operating at their maximum capacity." Baerbock reiterated, "Lebanon is on the brink of collapse."
She accused Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, of "hiding behind civilians and continuing to launch rockets at Israel," while also advising that Israel must act within "the limited scope of legitimate self-defense and international humanitarian law." The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has accused Israel of multiple attacks on its peacekeepers in recent weeks.
"All parties involved in the conflict have a duty to protect UN peacekeepers," Baerbock asserted. "The soldiers of UNIFIL have our full support. They are crucial for achieving a political resolution to the conflict." She underscored that "any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a violation of international humanitarian law."
The conflict in Gaza escalated following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has claimed the lives of 42,718 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which the UN deems reliable. Israel redirected its focus to Lebanon in late September, aiming to secure its northern border amid Hezbollah's attacks.
Baerbock called for a concerted effort involving the United States, Europe, and the Arab world to "forge a viable diplomatic solution that safeguards the legitimate security interests of both Israel and Lebanon."
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