European nations say Israel-Hezbollah fighting 'must cease'
Eighteen European countries on Thursday urged Israel and Hezbollah to stop fighting as their latest conflict reached one month and with fears over Israeli plans to control part of southern Lebanon post-war.
"Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's attacks must cease," the foreign ministers of the countries including Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Ireland said in a joint statement.
"We urge Israel to fully respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and call on all parties, both Hezbollah and Israel, to halt military action," the statement said.
Lebanon was sucked into the Middle East war after Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the U.S.-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel has responded with massive strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.
Lebanese authorities say the hostilities have so far killed more than 1,200 people and displaced more than one million others.
The European ministers said they were "appalled by the dramatic situation" in Lebanon and called for an end to "unjustified and unacceptable" attacks on civilian targets such as healthcare personnel, aid workers and journalists.
They pledged to continue providing humanitarian relief for the Lebanese population and called on the international community "to mobilize further" to help the country.
Earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the country's military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the current war against Hezbollah has ended.
The comments have raised fears for the area's fate following the last Israeli occupation that lasted nearly two decades.
The European nations "strongly encouraged" Israel to hold direct negotiations with the Lebanese authorities and said reform efforts by Lebanon's government "must be supported instead of being undermined".
"Efforts to support stabilization in Lebanon are instrumental to lasting peace and security in the Middle East. De-escalation is urgently needed. Diplomacy must prevail," they said.
The countries include: Spain, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia and Sweden.