Four days before the vote on a German seat at the UN Security Council, Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) once again voiced strong criticism regarding Israel. Speaking on Sunday while in New York, Wadephul stated that the continued advance of the Israeli army in Southern Lebanon causes him “great concern”. While acknowledging that Israel possesses legitimate security interests, the minister stressed that if civilians are forced to “pay the price of military escalation” and if parts of Lebanon become permanently uninhabitable, this ultimately does not secure Lebanon’s neighborhood in the long run. Therefore, he insisted that when Israel takes action against Hezbollah, it must ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Furthermore, Wadephul argued that the key to stabilizing Lebanon lies in strengthening the Lebanese state itself. This, he emphasized, requires the Lebanese government to take decisive action against Hezbollah and enforce its sole monopoly on violence throughout its entire territory.
Politics
