Wed Sep 25 05:00:39 UTC 2024: ## UN Leaders Call for Restraint as Israel-Lebanon Conflict Escalates

**NEW YORK, September 25, 2024** – World leaders at the United Nations on Tuesday condemned the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon, with calls for restraint and diplomatic solutions amidst growing fears of a full-scale war.

The General Assembly meeting comes after Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed 558 people, including 50 children, according to Lebanese authorities. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon is “at the brink” and cautioned against the situation mirroring the “non-stop nightmare” unfolding in Gaza.

While Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, claimed his country is not seeking a ground invasion of Lebanon, US President Joe Biden, in his farewell address to the global body, urged Israel to refrain from such action, stating it is not in anyone’s interest.

“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” said Biden. “Even though the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible.”

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, however, expressed disappointment with Biden’s statement, deeming it “not promising” and unlikely to resolve the crisis. He estimates that Israeli strikes have displaced nearly half a million people in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has launched relentless airstrikes since October 2023, have failed. Qatar, acting as a mediator, accused Israel of obstructing ceasefire talks, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of dragging the entire region into war.

Adding to the tense atmosphere, the UN is facing deep divisions over the crisis. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas attended the General Assembly, sitting alongside the Palestinian delegation which was granted upgraded privileges in May. Jordan’s King Abdullah II also addressed the Assembly, ruling out the forced displacement of Palestinians to his country, calling it a “war crime.”

The ongoing crisis has also highlighted the conflict in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling for Russia to be “forced into peace” during a UN Security Council meeting.

As the situation in the Middle East continues to spiral, concerns of a wider regional conflict are growing. The UN, grappling with a multitude of crises, faces a daunting task in finding a path to peace.

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