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Foreign Minister Fajon labeled the Israeli attack on UNIFIL as a gross violation of international law

by AI | 14.Oct 2024 | Europe in brief AI

At the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Minister Tanja Fajon strongly condemned the recent Israeli attack on the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and emphasized that the Middle East does not need more weapons, but more diplomatic activities, an immediate ceasefire, and respect for international law.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Luxembourg – Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon today sharply condemned the recent Israeli attack on the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (Unifil) upon her arrival at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg. She emphasized that these are “gross violations of international law.”

“I strongly condemn the recent attack on the United Nations peacekeeping forces (Unifil) in southern Lebanon,” said Fajon in Luxembourg. “These are gross violations of international law, serious crimes,” she further stressed and advocated for the protection of the peace operation. In a joint statement on Sunday evening, EU member states also stated that the attacks by the Israeli army, in which several Unifil members were wounded, constitute a serious violation of international law.

“These attacks must end immediately,” declared the Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell in a statement on behalf of all 27 member states. The EU also expects explanations and a thorough investigation of the attacks from the Israeli authorities. It reiterated the call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.

At the meeting, Fajon mainly emphasized the belief that the Middle East needs more diplomatic activities, an immediate ceasefire, and respect for international law rather than more weapons. “We must not forget Gaza. We need concrete steps towards a two-state solution. The situation in Gaza is unimaginable. On Sunday, Slovenia accepted 10 children for rehabilitation in Slovenia. This is not a large number, but it was nice to see the expressions on their faces, and I wish they would forget the horrors, at least a little,” were the minister’s words as reported in the press release from the foreign ministry.

EU foreign ministers are in Luxembourg today discussing the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, where the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah and the Israeli army clashed in southern Lebanon at the end of September. Last week, several members of the mission were wounded in Israeli army attacks on Unifil, and on Sunday, Israel also invaded a Unifil base. (October 14)