UNITED NATIONS, Aug 9: As Israel signalled to expand the ground war in Lebanon, the foreign minister of Qatar told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that it risks igniting a civil war in Lebanon by failing to order the withdrawal of Israel’s troop and an immediate ceasefire in the conflict.
“If we adopt a resolution without fully considering the reality of Lebanon we will face a civil war and, instead of helping Lebanon, we will destroy Lebanon,” Hamad Bin Jasim Al-Thani told the Security Council.
He said the measure now under consideration was ‘unenforceable’ and would ‘further complicate the situation on the ground and have grave ramifications for Lebanon and all the countries in the region’.
Al-Thani criticised the council’s failure to act since the conflict began.
“It is most saddening that this council stands idly by, crippled, unable to stop the bloodbath,” Al-Thani said.
“What is happening will sow the seeds of hatred and extremism in the area.”
Lebanon’s Acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri told the council that a draft resolution being circulated ‘not only falls short of meeting many of our legitimate requests, but also may not bring about the results that the international community hopes it would achieve’.
Mr Mitri said the text calls for a ‘cessation of hostilities’ rather than a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire, a form of words which ‘leaves Lebanon vulnerable to the whims of Israel’.
He added that, as part of a seven-point plan unanimously adopted by the Lebanese council of ministers, the country’s government reiterates its readiness to deploy 15,000 members of its armed forces in the south if Israel withdraws behind the Blue Line, and to call for an enhanced Unifil presence as well.
After the council meeting, a three-man delegation from Arab states, including Sheikh Al-Thani, met UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the crisis in the region.
The delegation briefed Mr Annan on the Arab League’s own ministerial meeting on the issue in Beirut on Tuesday and its support for Lebanon’s seven-point plan.
Mr Annan’s office said they also discussed the draft council resolution and the secretary-general encouraged the delegation to meet the resolution’s co-sponsors.
Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman told the Security Council that the resolution under consideration might not produce an end to hostilities.
“It is time to bring this conflict to an end, but speeches and resolutions do not themselves bring conflict to an end,” Gillerman said.
“The question is whether this council and the international community can adopt a course of action, a blueprint for change, that will end the threat Hezbollah and its sponsors pose.”
