The month of October 2024 marks a year since the beginning of the ongoing war against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as the war on Lebanon, that introduced a devastating chapter to the region on the humanitarian level. Throughout this year, Lebanon has been enduring relentless attacks and aggression by Israel that have become seriously concerning after the recent escalation in late September 2024. The signatory organisations call the European Union (EU) and its Member States for a serious and firm stand to end the brutal attacks on Lebanon.
We call for a decisive and unequivocal support for Lebanon, amid the recent rise of Israeli attacks across the Lebanese territories, resulting so far in around 2,141 deaths (including 131 children), 10,099 injured and 1.2 million displaced persons (according to the Lebanese authorities) at the time of writing (9th October 2024). The EU and Member States are urged to enable a universal and principled action to put an end to the dramatic escalation of the aggression perpetrated by Israel on the State of Lebanon, risking the safety and security of civilians and destroying residential areas, infrastructure, and the environment.
The Israeli bombardment operations have been perpetrated across Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa and Southern Lebanon, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee to safer areas and seek shelter. The wide collateral damage resulting from these attacks breaches fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, which requires the protection of civilians during armed conflict. The dehumanization of the Lebanese people that is witnessed throughout these attacks, is widely similar to the dehumanization of the people of Gaza that we have observed over the past year.
The Israeli attacks and bombardments have violated international humanitarian law in different methods. Israel used prohibited weapons (white phosphorus munitions) in its attacks on Lebanon, targeted paramedics, journalists, civilians, places of worship, hospitals, and residential areas, and more recently, started a land invasion operation on the Southern borders. In spite of the claims of a “limited operation”, images already show along the Israeli advance the complete destruction of Yaroun, a town in southern Lebanon. This gives rise to serious concerns of a larger invasion, like the experiences witnessed in 1978, 1982, 1993, 1996, and 2006. Israel claims its actions are justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the inherent right of self-defense. However, for self-defense to be legally justified, it must meet the criteria of necessity and proportionality. If the response is excessive, unnecessary, or fails to constitute a legitimate act of self-defense, these actions constitute an act of aggression under international law.
The way that the international community has dealt with the ongoing war on Gaza and Lebanon and the legal paralysis in the past year in face of the attacks and aggression by Israel has proved a moral failure of states. The double standards have been exposed through the failure of the international community to ensure a timely and universal application of the law by all those impacted by atrocities. At this turbulent point in history, it is necessary to bring back our faith in international law and justice. The EU must abandon the double standards in the application of international law, enforce accountability on all crime perpetrators including Israel, and uphold its commitments to international justice and human rights.
The repeated invasions and bombardments on Lebanon have produced additional instability in the region and drifted all parties far from any lasting political reconciliation. As the EU claims to be working towards a stable and prosperous Southern Neighborhood that ensures a stable and secure Europe, urgent action is required to end the aggression on Lebanon. The EU and Lebanon have shared a long partnership based on common values, interests, and respect for international law. In May 2024, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that included a €1 billion package, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed strong support for Lebanon and its people. The EU must not remain passive: it should decisively intervene diplomatically and apply sanctions to end this devastating war and its dire consequences on Lebanon and the region. Limiting its support to Lebanon to humanitarian aid alone, which addresses only the aftermath of the war, is insufficient.
Nevertheless, certain EU member states have made some statements that prove the intent to end the ongoing war. Previously this year, the Belgian Development Minister Caroline Gennez called for an EU-wide arms embargo on Israel in light of the decision to invade Rafah, where thousands of civilians were sheltering from the war. However, this call was left unanswered by other EU member states, thus failing to protect the civilians in Rafah from the aggression. More recently, the French president Emmanuel Macron called for a suspension of arms deliveries to Israel. Although France is not a major arms supplier to Israel, its position as a key player within the European Union gives its stance considerable weight in ongoing efforts to achieve a political resolution to the war in Gaza and Lebanon. However, despite the importance of the mentioned calls, a serious, firm, and unified position is still needed from the EU to end the aggression and to avoid repeating the Gaza scenario in Lebanon. The EU has significant influence on the international level, and must enact its role and use its power to put an end to the devastating war and the serious violations of international laws and principles.
We condemn Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Palestine, and we urgently call the EU and its Member States to:
- Employ greater efforts for an immediate ceasefire by the existing Resolution 1701 of the United Nations Security Council, adopted in 2006 through a united and firm stand in diplomatic and political positions.
- Move forward with the revision and suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, especially as the EU is Israel’s biggest trade partner. The EU-Israel Association Agreement is based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, as set out in Article 2. Violation of any of the so-called ‘essential elements’ clauses, including the human rights clause, enables the EU to terminate or suspend fully or partially the Agreement. Such a suspension is feasible and has been done in the past in the case of Syria and Russia.
- Attribute responsibility and identify Israel as a perpetrator. Adopt the EU Human Rights Sanctions Regime of 2020, that expands the EU’s possibilities to sanction individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights violations. Propose strategies for strengthening the EU’s position in enforcing accountability, both in cooperation agreements and in practice.
- Impose an arms embargo on Israel for its gross violations of international law and continued international crimes, as its second-largest arms supplier to Israel after the US. Halt all arms agreements, imports, exports and transfers, including of dual-use items that could be used against the Lebanese and Palestinian people.
- Increase efforts to ensure judicial accountability of Israel by supporting investigations by international courts, namely the ICC and ICJ. Establish a special Joint Investigatory Teams (JITs) to investigate crimes committed in Lebanon and Gaza by Israel throughout this war, with the goal to facilitate investigations and universal jurisdiction cases, as well as identify cases that could be taken forward to the ICC or another regional court. Contribute to documenting and securing evidence to store and preserve evidence related to war crimes perpetrated by Israel in its war on Gaza and Lebanon.
Signatories:
- EuroMed Rights
- The Lebanese Center for Human Rights
- Forum des Alternatives Maroc