A man in the rubble of buildings in Qana on Dec. 14, 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib condemned Israeli violations of the cease-fire in calls with British and European officials on Friday and called on the international community to "quickly contribute" to reconstruction.
Speaking with the British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Faulkner, the European Commissioner for Equality and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, as well as the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, Bou Habib considered that the "continued" violations by Israel of the cease-fire "do not favor de-escalation."
Since the cease-fire came into force on Nov. 27, Israeli strikes have killed 34 people in south Lebanon. These strikes "undermine the ongoing efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and establish calm on the border," according to the statement published by the Foreign Ministry after calls from Bou Habib, who also called on Western countries to "quickly contribute to the reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed by the war."
Lahbib pledged to “increase the humanitarian aid provided by the European Union (EU) to Lebanon” to cope with the post-war situation. Her colleague Šuica stressed the importance of “supporting the capacities of the Lebanese state,” stating that support for Lebanon is an “EU priority.” Šuica also reiterated the urgency of electing a new president, a position vacant since October 2022, and of undertaking reforms, which could “unlock more support” from the EU.