Foreign minister urges int'l community to act immediately to help Lebanon

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday stressed the urgent need for the international community to act immediately to help Lebanon meet the needs of over 1.2 million displaced people who have been forced from their homes by the Israeli aggression since September23.

Speaking at the international conference for Lebanon, inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Safadi stressed that Lebanon cannot bear the burden of meeting the needs of the displaced on its own, which requires an immediate international support, according to a ministry statement.

At the conference, which was organised by France and attended by foreign ministers and representatives of 76 countries and international organisations, Safadi said: "Displaced people should not suffer the indignity of poverty after enduring the terror of leaving their homes and lives behind." 

He stressed that humanitarian aid is crucial, adding that "the focus must be on ending the root cause of the disaster. The aggression against Lebanon must end immediately. It is an illegal, barbaric assault that cannot be justified."

The minister pointed out that "Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon that the world has not seen in decades, and the international community must not tolerate them." 

He highlighted that the impunity granted to Israel by the international community has enabled it to violate international law, where the war crimes and ethnic cleansing Israel has committed in northern Gaza for weeks represent "disgrace for the entire humanity".

Safadi said: "Israel has been killing every opportunity for peace long before October 7. Look at the settlement expansion, land confiscation, violation of the historical and legal status quo at Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. This confirms that the Israeli government is denying all peoples of the region their right to live in peace."

He stressed that Jordan will continue doing everything it can to stop the aggression against Palestine and Lebanon and achieve a just and comprehensive peace that ensures security and stability for all.

Safadi said that Jordan will continue to support Lebanon in its efforts to stop the aggression, rebuild its national institutions, starting with the election of a new president, and confirmed that the Kingdom will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to help Lebanon meet the needs of the displaced, as well as support the Lebanese Armed Forces.

He also reiterated the need for the international community to act immediately to end the aggression against Lebanon, implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and equip the Lebanese army with the necessary capabilities to perform its role. 

The minister stressed the importance of collective efforts to provide assistance to Lebanon, highlighting the significance of the conference in coordinating international support for Lebanon and ensuring effective action.

Safadi said: "The conference must send a firm and clear message that the world will not remain silent in the face of further killings and violations of international law, and that Israel will no longer remain above the law."

He also expressed his gratitude to President Macron for organising the conference.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Safadi condemned Israel's aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, warning that these actions will persist unless the international community takes immediate, decisive steps to stop Israel's "blatant and unprecedented" violations of international law.

The top diplomat also called for urgent international intervention to stop Israel's "war crimes" in Gaza and Lebanon, highlighting the grave dangers posed by Israel's illegal actions in the occupied West Bank, especially against Palestinians and the holy Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem.

The minister also stressed that the failure to uphold international law threatens the multilateral system and global peace and security, 

condemning what he described as Israel's "ethnic cleansing" in northern Gaza, where civilians are being bombed, starved, and forcibly displaced. 

"Nothing justifies the killing of civilians or the destruction of their homes," he said, emphasising that international law mandates the protection of civilians and guarantees their access to food, water, and medicine.

Reiterating Jordan's support for Lebanon's security and sovereignty, Safadi called for an immediate end to the aggression and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, stressing Jordan’s commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Lebanon, in line with Royal directives.

Safadi also met with the foreign ministers of Canada, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Croatia, and France’s Special Envoy to Lebanon. 

He also held talks with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi to discuss the declining international support for Syrian refugees and efforts to facilitate their voluntary return to Syria.

Safadi is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London on Friday.