Israel has right to ‘exist,’ not to ‘collective punishment’: EU’s Michel
European Council President Charles Michel has said that Israel had the right to exist and defend itself without inflicting “collective punishment” on civilians living in areas targeted by its military.
Western leaders have used the UN’s centrepiece annual gathering in New York to call on Israel to exercise restraint in its military assaults on Lebanon and Gaza to prevent the eruption of a regional war.
"Israel has the right to defend itself. Israel has the right to exist, and we support the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself,” Michel said at an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“But defending itself, it doesn’t mean collective punishment. It needs a principle of proportionality.”
Borrell: ‘Some want’ further escalation in Middle East
The EU’s foreign policy chief says that the Lebanese are paying a “very high price” in this recent round of escalation between Hezbollah and Israel.
“Random attacks affecting civilians are inconsistent with the laws of war,” Borrell said in an interview with Spanish broadcaster RTVE. “Escalation in the Middle East is rising because some want it,” he added, without naming names.
Since yesterday, at least 569 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The EU has joined numerous other countries, including the US, in calling for de-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah after Israel ramped up its attacks on Lebanon.
UK urges nationals to leave Lebanon
The UK says that its nationals should leave Lebanon and continues to advise against all travel to the country, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.
“Around 700 UK troops will move to Cyprus in the coming hours, as the Government continues to prepare its contingency plans following significant escalation between Israel and Lebanon in recent days,” the office said in a statement.
