Capitals (agencies)
There have been calls from several countries around the world to reduce tension and avoid escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border, amid warnings of the danger of being drawn into a comprehensive confrontation that could turn into a large-scale regional war.
Several capitals also advised their citizens in Lebanon to remain cautious and reduce movement without extreme necessity, while other countries asked their citizens in Lebanon to leave it, warning against traveling there at the present time.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said, after meeting with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington, that waging a large-scale war on Lebanon is not in Israel’s interest currently, but he considered that his country’s army “is capable of returning Lebanon to the Stone Age.”
Yesterday, France expressed its deep concern about the seriousness of the situation in Lebanon, noting the escalation of violence on the southern border “in a dramatic manner,” and calling on all parties to exercise “the greatest amount of restraint.”
Assistant French Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoyne said that France, which is requesting the implementation of Resolution 1701 issued by the UN Security Council, remains fully committed to preventing any risk of escalation on the Blue Line and reaching a diplomatic solution.
The blue line represents the border drawn by the United Nations between Lebanon and Israel.
This position came after several countries, including Canada, Germany, Russia and America, called on their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.
The French Foreign Ministry does not yet intend to evacuate its nationals from Lebanon, but it reminded them that they must not go there.
As for the French currently in Lebanon for personal or professional reasons, whose number is estimated at about 23,000 people, according to their country’s foreign directives, they are “called upon to postpone any movement to southern Lebanon and to exercise the utmost vigilance.”
With the escalation of tensions on the southern Lebanese border, and amid increasing fears of the outbreak of war that could ignite a wide regional conflict, several countries issued warnings to their nationals against traveling to Lebanon.
Yesterday, the United States Embassy in Beirut warned its citizens against traveling to Lebanon.
Russia also once again recommended to its citizens to refrain from traveling there until the situation in its south calms down.
Yesterday, Ireland called on its citizens to leave Lebanon and cancel their trips there.
The Irish Foreign Ministry warned, in a statement, of the possibility of increased tension on the southern border of Lebanon, which may make it more difficult for him to leave, calling on all its citizens to leave on board the currently ongoing flights.
Lebanese news websites reported that the Dutch Foreign Ministry urged the Dutch to leave Lebanon due to the risk of escalation on the border with Israel.
Recently, many European and regional countries announced their intention to evacuate their nationals from Lebanon, due to conditions that threaten to escalate the confrontations in its south.
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