The only desire of the tens of thousands of displaced people on both sides of the Blue Line is to return to their homes and live there in peace… One thing is absolutely clear: dialogue and de-escalation are the only ways to achieve this. Military escalation is not the solution. It would drag the region into the abyss of a regional war… Voices of peace and reason must prevail, in the interests of the people of the entire region.
-The representative of Switzerland
As we approach a full year of near-daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line and bloodshed in Gaza, too many lives have been lost, too many people have been displaced, and too many livelihoods have been destroyed. But if things continue as they are, we risk seeing a conflagration that could dwarf even the devastation and suffering witnessed so far.
– Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
“The complexity of this moment – and the stakes for people everywhere – demands much more from the international community to achieve an enduring peace. This crisis requires political courage and leadership.
– Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Senior officials, briefing the Security Council today on the recent events in Lebanon, condemned the numerous civilian casualties, including children, and called for an immediate ceasefire, while strongly urging Member States with influence over the parties to leverage that influence now in order to return to diplomacy, which must be used without delay.
