UN chief voices concern over escalation on Lebanon-Israel border - China.org.cn

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday expressed concern about the recent escalation on the Lebanon-Israel border.

"The secretary-general expresses his deep concern about the recent escalation between Lebanon and Israel across the Blue Line, including rocket fire into Israel and return airstrikes and artillery fire into Lebanon," said Stephane Dujarric, the UN secretary-general's spokesman.

"The secretary-general calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint. It is paramount that all actors involved avoid actions that can further heighten tensions and lead to miscalculation," he said in a note to correspondents.

The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations in 2000.

Earlier Friday, Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, had already expressed the world body's concern about the escalation. The new statement by Dujarric is more pertinent to Guterres.

"We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and maintain stability. Lebanon cannot afford another crisis," Haq told a daily press briefing.

Head of mission and force commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Stefano Del Col, is in direct contact with the parties, said Haq. "He calls on everyone to immediately cease fire. This is a very dangerous situation, with escalatory actions seen on both sides over the past two days."

UNIFIL calls on the parties to cease fire and maintain calm so that it can begin an investigation, said the deputy spokesman.

The UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, exercising her good offices, has activated her political contacts and reached out to all stakeholders concerned, said Haq.

The latest escalation came as Lebanon is struggling both politically and economically, one year after the devastating Beirut Port blast.

Lebanon is grappling with an economic and financial meltdown, COVID-19, the disastrous impact and aftermath of the Beirut Port blast, and the continued impact of the Syrian crisis, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the eve of the first anniversary of the massive blast, which took place on Aug. 4, 2020.

Political deadlock continues to fuel popular protests and is hampering meaningful reform and recovery efforts. The situation of ordinary people in Lebanon is worsening day by day. Food prices increased by a staggering 400 percent between January and December 2020. Humanitarian needs are increasing among Lebanese and migrants, including in food security and nutrition, health, protection, education and water and sanitation, said OCHA.

In March 2021, 78 percent of the population was estimated to be in poverty. More than a third of the Lebanese population is facing extreme poverty, it said.