Wed Sep 25 03:59:00 UTC 2024: ## Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Criticizes Biden’s UN Speech, Accuses Israel of “Survival by War”
**BEIRUT, Lebanon -** Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed disappointment with US President Joe Biden’s brief mention of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah at the United Nations General Assembly. Bou Habib stated that Biden’s remarks were “not strong” and “not promising” and wouldn’t solve the problem.
In a virtual event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Bou Habib said that the United States “is the only country that can really make a difference” in the region and criticized Israel’s actions. He accused the Israeli government of “cannot survive except with wars” and condemned the killing of civilians in Lebanon.
Bou Habib highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Lebanon, where an estimated half a million people have been displaced by the violence. He stressed the need for immediate international action to stop the escalating conflict and provide humanitarian assistance to those affected.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, claiming to have killed a senior commander of the group, Ibrahim Qubaisi, in an airstrike in south Beirut. The Israeli military also launched “extensive strikes” on Hezbollah targets in Beqaa and other areas of southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks targeting northern Israel, including the Ramat David Airbase, Megiddo Airfield, and the Amos base.
As the conflict intensifies, the British government is urging its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, deploying 700 troops to Cyprus to bolster its military presence in the region.
The escalating violence has drawn international condemnation, with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling for an end to the “genocide” in Gaza and comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that Israel’s strikes in Lebanon could lead to a wider regional conflict and called on the international community to “stop the violence and bring about a permanent cease-fire.”
The situation remains volatile and unpredictable, with fears of a broader regional conflict growing. Humanitarian agencies are providing aid to displaced people in Lebanon and Gaza, while world leaders gather at the UN General Assembly to discuss the escalating crisis.
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