EU leaders call for ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and condemn attacks on UN mission

BRUSSELS Oct. 17 () –

The leaders of the European Union agreed this Thursday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as to denounce the attacks against United Nations missions, following the Israeli bombings of the positions of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon ( FINUL).

In this way, the EU reacts at the level of heads of State and Government to the expansion of the conflict in the Middle East, after the Israeli Army unleashed a new invasion of Lebanon on October 1 after nearly a year of clashes in the border.

Specifically, diplomatic sources confirm that the conclusions include the cessation of hostilities and the need for a ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon. They point out their serious concern about the attacks against UNIFIL, which has suffered several attacks by the Israeli Army that have left ‘blue helmets’ injured.

The text at 27 has been closed after the latest modifications agreed by Spain and Germany to refine the text and the references to Israel, taking into account the different sensitivities within the EU, although European sources indicate that Israel’s attitude is ” increasingly less accepted” among European partners.

This growing tension with Israel has been exemplified inside the room, when one of the European leaders has indicated that when will the point come where Israel is told that “enough is enough.”

In this sense, the conclusions also defend the role of the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East, which Israel has attacked and could prohibit its activity in its territory, and also a reference of support to the secretary general, António Guterres, so that he is not declared ‘persona non grata’ anywhere, after Tel Aviv took precisely this step.

After 12 months of offensive in Gaza, the conflict has spread to Lebanon where Israel is carrying out a new invasion of Lebanon after nearly a year of clashes on the border, in what it describes as a “selective and limited” operation against “targets.” terrorists and infrastructure” of Hezbollah. This has happened in parallel with an increase in bombings against the capital, Beirut, and other areas of the country.