UN 'appalled' by rhetoric surrounding war on Lebanon

The United Nations stated Friday it was "appalled" by provocative language surrounding "Israel's" war on Lebanon and urged an end to "bellicose posturing". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Lebanese people this week that if they did not turn on the Lebanese Resistance, Hezbollah, they would face a destiny akin to Palestinians in Gaza.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the death toll from the Israeli occupation's aggression on Lebanon has reached 2,169, with 10,212 wounded since October 8, 2023.

"We are appalled by sweeping inflammatory language on multiple sides," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Office, at a Geneva media conference without providing specifics of the inflammatory language on the Lebanese side. 

In a recent address to the Lebanese people on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened the Lebanese people saying, "We've decided to do whatever is necessary to return our people safely to their homes... You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into… pic.twitter.com/nHAYxK65I4

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 10, 2024

"Recent language threatening Lebanese people as a whole and calling on them to either rise up against Hezbollah or face destruction like Gaza, risks being understood as encouraging or accepting violence directed against civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international law."

She also condemned the "ongoing denigration of the UN, in particular UNRWA," which supports almost six million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, urging that such "toxic" rhetoric must end.

"The killing, destruction, as well as bellicose posturing by those in positions of power, must end," Shamdasani expressed, adding that "widening conflict and progressive escalation put the lives and wellbeing of potentially millions of people across the region at risk." 

Christian Lindmeier, a UN health agency spokesperson, said 96 basic healthcare centers and health institutions in southern Lebanon have been forced to close. Five hospitals were declared inoperable owing to damage, while four were partially evacuated.

Lindmeier stated that as the number of displaced persons in Lebanon grows and access to medical treatment decreases, "we are facing a situation where there's much higher risk of disease outbreaks."

Hezbollah neither defeated nor broken, inflicting losses, casualties

Hezbollah has neither been defeated nor broken following the recent assassinations against its members, Israeli media indicated on Thursday, adding that the Lebanese group remains capable of dealing casualties and damage to "Israel."

Hezbollah's fighters continue to inflict heavy losses and casualties on Israeli troops attempting to infiltrate Lebanese towns from occupied Palestinian territories since "Israel" announced a "limited ground incursion" over a week ago, despite Israeli officials claiming that the group's capabilities have been reduced during this round of confrontation.

The media noted that two Israelis were killed by rocket fire from Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona.

Yoav Limor, a military affairs commentator for the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, mentioned that Hezbollah has intensified its rocket attacks toward "Israel" over the past few days.

He pointed out that despite the interception of some rockets from Lebanon, Israeli defense systems were unable to intercept all of them, resulting in serious damage to the Israeli "home front" and its military.

Limor suggested that "Israel" is not thinking "strategically" about Iranian threats, adding that the political-security cabinet, which will meet Thursday to decide on a response to Iran's Operation True Promise II and its timing, must avoid dragging "Israel" into a war of attrition, as "Israeli society and even the army are not prepared" for such one.

The commentator further urged the Israeli government to reconsider its broad international relations, particularly with the United States, to transition from war to diplomacy, as well as to focus on rearmament. 

He also emphasized that US support for "Israel" is also crucial in facing any potential Iranian response, which became evident after Operation True Promise I and II.

Limor noted that the intense fighting on the northern front with Lebanon and a potential Iranian attack are diverting attention from Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank.