UN, Europe and the US urge Hezbollah and Israel to moderate

Paris. The United Nations, the United States and European countries on Sunday called for restraint following clashes between the Lebanese movement Hezbollah and Israel, and the UN warned that the Middle East could be the scene of an “imminent catastrophe.”

These are the main reactions:

United Nations

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned this Sunday of the risk of transforming Lebanon into “another Gaza” following the escalation of hostilities between Israel and the pro-Iranian Islamist group Hezbollah.

“What worries me is the possibility of transforming Lebanon into another Gaza,” he told CNN television on the eve of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.

The UN representative in Lebanon warned of an “imminent catastrophe” in the Middle East and said that the solution to the escalation between Hezbollah and Israel cannot be military.

“At a time when the region is on the brink of an imminent catastrophe, we must reiterate that there is no military solution that will make either side safer,” the United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine, declared in X. Hennis-Plasschaert.

USA

A regional military “escalation” is not in the best interest of Israel, White House spokesman John Kirby warned this Sunday.

“We do not believe that an escalation of this military conflict is in the best interest” for Israel, the government spokesperson told ABC, ensuring that the United States conveyed this sentiment to its “Israeli counterparts.”

“Tensions are much higher now than they were just a few days ago,” Kirby said.

But “we still believe that there may be time and space for a diplomatic solution and we are working on it,” he added.

European Union

“The European Union (EU) is extremely concerned about the escalation in Lebanon following Friday’s attacks in Beirut,” declared the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, on Sunday.

“A ceasefire is urgent, both on the Blue Line [que separa las fuerzas armadas libanesas de las de Israel desde 2000] like in Gaza. “Civilians on both sides are paying a high price,” he said in a statement.

The European official called for renewing diplomatic efforts to avoid a “total war” in the region and assured that the issue will occupy “a prominent place” on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly.

United Kingdom

The head of British diplomacy David Lammy called for “an immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hezbollah, given “a worrying escalation” of the situation.

“In recent days we have seen a worrying escalation between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah,” said David Lammy.

“Our message to all parties is clear: we need an immediate ceasefire (…) to reach a political solution,” the minister added.

Germany

“We urgently need concrete measures in the Middle East to calm the situation and prevent new civilian casualties,” the German Foreign Ministry wrote in X.

“A diplomatic solution to the conflict must be possible,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.