UN Experts Condemn Israel’s Illegal Strikes on Lebanon, Urge Global Arms Suspension
Key Takeaways
- UN experts condemn Israel's strikes on Lebanon as illegal and indiscriminate.
- UN experts urge global suspension of arms transfers to Israel.
- Destruction mirrors Gaza pattern and may constitute grave breaches of international law.
UN Experts Condemn Israel
A coalition of 19 United Nations human rights experts issued a scathing condemnation of Israel's military campaign in Lebanon.
“A group of United Nations experts has denounced Israel’s attack on Lebanon a day after the United States and Iran agreed a ceasefire as illegal and urged UN member states to halt all arms transfers to Israel”
They called the April 8 strikes illegal aggression and indiscriminate bombing.
Israel launched the largest coordinated wave of strikes on the country since 1980 just hours after a ceasefire was announced.
Over 10 minutes, Israeli forces struck more than 150 locations, killing at least 303 people and injuring 1,150.
The experts described the destruction as a deliberate destruction of prospects for peace.
Humanitarian and Environmental Toll
More than 1 million people were displaced in Lebanon since March 2, about a fifth of the population.
The experts condemned the issuance of blanket evacuation orders combined with destruction of housing.
They highlighted severe environmental consequences including toxic air pollution and contamination of water systems.
Israel's targeted destruction of homes was described as a form of collective punishment.
Any forced displacement of civilians constituted both a war crime and a crime against humanity.
Calls for Arms Embargo
The UN experts called for all member states to suspend arms transfers to Israel.
“Arabic version:خبراء الأمم المتحدة يطالبون بتعليق نقل الأسلحة إلى إسرائيل A group of United Nations experts has condemned Israel’s military actions in Lebanon and urged UN member states to suspend all arms transfers to Israel”
They urged the United States to use its influence to ensure Israel stops strikes on civilians.
The experts warned the broader regional situation remained volatile despite the US-Iran ceasefire.
They criticized the US decision to impose a naval blockade on Iran as an act of war.
The statement was signed by 23 UN experts including Mai Soto and Francesca Albanese.
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