Israel's bombing campaign in Lebanon electrifies as much as it divides the United Nations General Assembly. An emergency meeting of the Security Council was scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, in New York to discuss the operation launched on Monday by Israel against Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia. With several hundred people already killed in two days of strikes, and the Shiite movement retaliating with rocket fire, the aim is to try to avoid an extension of the conflict, after almost a year of war in the Gaza Strip, in the wake of Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
On Tuesday, warnings mounted from the heads of state and government who are taking turns at the UN podium this week, illustrating both the concern and the tensions that this new phase of violence is generating between Israel, its allies and the countries of the region, starting with Iran.
"Lebanon is on the brink of collapse," warned UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the opening of the session, fearing that the country could become "another Gaza." "Gaza is a non-stop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon (...) The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza," he insisted before the representatives of the 193 UN member states, including some 100 heads of state and government.
A little later, Joe Biden, in his final address to the General Assembly after withdrawing from the race for president in favor of Kamala Harris, remained more evasive. "Since October 7, we have also been determined to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire region," said the American president, adding, "Even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible."
While he reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of more than 41,000 Palestinians in almost a year, according to the authorities in the Hamas-controlled territory, Biden was not so explicit about Lebanon, despite the acceleration of events. The American leader pointed to the "ongoing threat" posed by Iran, Hezbollah's regional sponsor.
"We have always supported Lebanon and will continue to do so," said Emmanuel Macron on his arrival at UN headquarters in the afternoon. The French president held talks at the end of the day with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, calling for a "cessation of hostilities" in northern Israel. Macron is due to deliver his speech to the General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, before heading to Canada. He is expected to let his newly appointed foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, take part in the emergency session convened on Wednesday.
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