High Representative Josep Borrell delivered the following statement:

” This Council has been called taking into account the event of the last weekend and the fact that, according to Lebanese authorities, already one million people are internally displaced – many starting to try to go to Syria.

That has been creating such a big number of displaced people in the south of the border. Israeli people that have had to leave their houses immediately after Hezbollah’s attacks. Now, this massive displacement of Lebanese people in the North – which obviously increases the needs of humanitarian support, in the region, and beyond.

The international assistance needs are increasing. As you know, President [of the European Commission, Ursula] von der Leyen already announced €1 billion support to Lebanon.  €500 million have been committed in August. An additional emergency measure of €10 million has been announced yesterday by my colleague, Commissioner [Janez] Lenarčič, in charge of humanitarian assistance. In parallel, we – on our side, on the side of the European Peace Facility – have adopted a new assistance of €15 million for 2024. But, in view of the current circumstances additional European Union support is being considered.

The European Union renews its call for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and for both parties to commit to the full and symmetrical implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution [1701], so as to ensure the safe return of displaced populations on both sides as part of a broader negotiated settlement.

Arms should now be silenced, and the voice of diplomacy should speak and be heard by all. Hezbollah‘s firing of rockets and other projectiles into Israeli territory since 8^th October has to stop. The sovereignty of both Israel and Lebanon has to be guaranteed.  Any further military intervention would dramatically aggravate the situation and it has to be avoided. We are very much concerned about the risk of this further escalation of the conflict across the region, and urge for parties in the region to show restraint in the interest of de-escalation.

More than ever, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are called to play a critical role as guarantor of both domestic and regional stability. The state requires the capacity to have the monopoly on the use of violence – this is very far away from what is happening right now in Lebanon.  The Lebanese Armed Forces, which are the core of the Lebanese society and statehood have to continue playing a critical role. For that, they need our support.  We have adopted a new assistance measure to empower the Lebanese Armed Forces on the 23 September and we are ready to increase its support in view of the evolving situation.

In the current situation of emergency, the United Nations mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also assumes a fundamental stabilisation role. The safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers is paramount; we call on all parties to protect and support the important mission of UNIFIL.  The European Union and its Member states are ready to build on their steady support to UNIFIL to facilitate the accomplishment of its mission, and to strengthen its role in the framework of United Nations Security Council resolutions – as it could not be otherwise. Member States call also for an urgent meeting of the Security Council, and we will deploy all diplomatic efforts in order to push for a ceasefire.

At this hour of need, all Lebanese leaders should now put national interests first and work together to restore the functioning of Lebanon’s state institutions, notably by electing a President and forming a fully-fledged government.”