Israeli allies warn of an expansion of the Gaza war to Lebanon – DW – 26.06.2024

Israel’s allies and Middle East actors reiterated warnings against an escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip after Israel said its plans for an offensive in Lebanon, where it is expected to face the Islamist Hezbollah militia, had been “approved and confirmed”.

The US, Germany and Turkey reacted with concern. While Berlin and Washington warned of the consequences of an escalation of the war, Ankara promised solidarity with Lebanon and called on other actors in the region to join in.

Separately, the UN’s highest-ranking humanitarian official also warned that such an escalation could have “apocalyptic” consequences.

“I see it as a flashpoint… It is potentially apocalyptic,” Martin Griffiths told reporters in Geneva.

Since Hamas triggered the current Gaza conflict with its attacks on October 7, Israeli forces have been involved in constant hostile clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

What did Turkey say?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on the issue on Wednesday, accusing the West of supporting Israel’s plans to attack Lebanon and spread the war throughout the region.

“(Israel Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s plans to expand the war to the region will lead to a major disaster,” he said, adding that Western support for Israel was “pathetic.”

“Turkey stands with the brotherly people and state of Lebanon. I call on other countries in the region to stand in solidarity with Lebanon,” Erdogan added.

USA and Germany warn of “terrible consequences”

Meanwhile, Israel’s Western allies have warned urgently against escalation in the region.

“Another war would mean a regional escalation of a magnitude that we can hardly imagine,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday.

Baerbock met with Lebanese and Israeli heads of state on Tuesday as part of a regional tour.

The top German diplomat warned of the danger that Israel and Lebanon could slide into war.

“And that is exactly what we must prevent: that through the daily escalation, with more and more missiles flying, large parts of both sides do not want this war, but we slide into it,” she said.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made similar comments at a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in Washington.

“Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily escalate into a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East,” Austin said. “Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent further escalation.”

Berlin calls on German citizens to leave Lebanon

The German Foreign Ministry also urged German citizens to leave Lebanon.

“Tensions in the border areas with Israel have increased and could escalate further at any time,” it said on Wednesday. The ministry also warned of an increased risk of terrorist attacks that could possibly target Western citizens or large hotels.

The attacks on October 7 left around 1,200 people dead in Israel, most of them civilians. Palestinian militants also took around 250 people hostage. About 116 hostages are still missing in Gaza, but the Israeli army reports 42 deaths.

Israel responded with a tightened siege and a wide-ranging military operation in the Gaza Strip, with the stated goal of wiping out Hamas. According to health authorities in the Hamas-controlled enclave, more than 37,700 Palestinians, again mostly civilians, have been killed in the conflict so far.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are classified as terrorist organizations by several countries.

rmt/dj (AFP, dpa, Reuters)