UNITED NATIONS: US President Joe Biden urged world leaders on Tuesday to avert “full-scale war” over Lebanon, as clashes escalated between Israel and Hezbollah, prompting the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to warn of a situation “on the brink.”
The UN General Assembly session, the high point of the diplomatic calendar, comes as Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 558 people — 50 of them children and 94 women.
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even though the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible,” Biden said in his address at the inaugural session of the UN General Assembly.
He said that a lasting resolution is essential for allowing residents on both sides of the border to safely return to their homes. “In fact (it) remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely,” Biden said.
Biden also reiterated the need for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, stating it was time to “end this war.”
Biden said that Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s war has failed at its core aim. He set out to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free.”
As world leaders gathered in New York, the situation drew immediate attention. France, a member of the UN Security Council, called for an emergency meeting to address the crisis.
Meanwhile, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell warned, “we are almost in a full-fledged war,” echoing concerns raised by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about Lebanon being “at the brink.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose country supports both Hezbollah and Hamas, condemned the “senseless and incomprehensible” inaction by the UN against Israel.
The US, Israel’s closest ally, has publicly opposed a ground invasion into Lebanon, with a senior official stating that the US would present “concrete” proposals for de-escalation at the UN.
Despite these diplomatic overtures, little progress has been made in defusing tensions, particularly in light of failed ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, which has seen relentless Israeli bombardment since October 2023.
Guterres warned against the potential for Lebanon to become “another Gaza,” characterizing the situation in the Palestinian territory as a “non-stop nightmare.”
The UN General Assembly has become a focal point for addressing multiple global crises, with deep divisions within the UN increasingly evident. Richard Gowan from the International Crisis Group predicted that many leaders would express concern about the UN’s relevance if it failed to facilitate peace.
With high-stakes speeches scheduled from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, tensions are expected to rise throughout the assembly week. Abbas, in a historic first, took his seat alongside the Palestinian delegation after they received upgraded privileges in the assembly earlier this year.
