Statement on Lebanon

While the world is following with bated breath the war with Iran, hoping that the current ceasefire will lead to a diplomatic solution, Lebanon is experiencing a grave catastrophe, and we must not remain silent.

Expressing solidarity with the significant efforts of the Lebanese government and the suffering civilian population affected by the war is not enough. Between the damage inflicted by Hezbollah over the years and the continuous and escalating attacks by the Israeli army, a country with a rich cultural tradition and complex social fabric is being destroyed.

Since the latest escalation began on March 2, 2026, more than 1.2 million people, including 350,000 children, have been forced to flee their homes, pushing the internal displacement rate from 2% to 22.6%. Entire villages have been wiped off the map, and the destruction of bridges is cutting off and isolating communities. Lebanon already hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 23,000 Palestinian refugees — the highest refugee-per-capita-to-resident population ratio in the world.

In the current situation, humanitarian assistance is of paramount importance, and organizations, peacekeepers, and humanitarian personnel, including members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), must be supported and protected.

Under these conditions, we call on all parties to de-escalate and to return to the cessation of hostilities agreement under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). The territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected, and Israel should refrain from any ground operations on Lebanese territory. Sovereignty must be restored over the entire Lebanese territory, including the state’s monopoly on the use of force. The Lebanese security forces must become the sole legitimate guarantors of the country’s sovereignty. These are the basic foundations of an independent, peaceful, and stable Lebanon.