EU presidency says Israeli offensive unlikely to dent Hezbollah
The European Union’s presidency today warned that Israel’s offensive in southern Lebanon was unlikely to bring success and was instead bound to increase support for Hezbollah.
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the EU presidency, made the comments after Israel decided to expand its offensive in southern Lebanon, sending troops deeper into the neighbouring country to hunt down Hezbollah fighters and hold the territory until a multi-national force is deployed there.
Tuomioja, who was to chair an emergency EU foreign ministers’ meeting later today, said the Israeli offensive was “unlikely to bring military success against Hezbollah but certain to increase support for Hezbollah in the region”.
Israel hopes to complete the new push in up to two weeks, Israeli Cabinet ministers said.
Tuomioja, who visited the region last week, said there would be no lasting security or stability there “if we don’t move back to the peace process”, between Israelis and Palestinians.
He said the fighting are also putting additional pressure on neighbouring moderate governments such as Egypt and Jordan.
“Everyday tensions increase with Syria and other parties. … Moderate Arab governments are understandably concerned about stability in the region,” Tuomioja said.
Meanwhile, in Berlin German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Jacques Chirac discussed the crisis in the Middle East and agreed to consult closely on the next steps to take, Merkel’s office said today.
In the telephone conversation yesterday, both leaders agreed that “a lasting ceasefire must be achieved as quickly as possible,” Merkel spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said in a statement.
He added that the UN Security Council must create the conditions for that, and that the basis must be a “political agreement between Israel and Lebanon and the full implementation of resolution 1559”, which calls for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon.
Merkel and Chirac “agreed close consultation on further steps”, the statement said.
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