A United Nations official says that heavily armed militia in Lebanon combined with an escalation of rhetoric and confrontation has resulted in a hyper-dangerous situation, threatening international peace reaching beyond the region.
Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen, U.N. special envoy for Implementation of Resolution 1559, presented his latest report on the implementation of fair elections, ending foreign interference, and disbanding of militias in Lebanon, to the Security Council on Thursday.
He told reporters the Middle East is at “an extremely critical juncture.”
Roed-Larsen compared a collapse of Lebanon with a collapse of one of two poles holding up the tent amidst powerful crosswinds and a hurricane blowing in the region, bringing the whole tent down. The other pole he said are the Palestinians.
That is why he called on all parties, even beyond the region, to halt irresponsible and reckless rhetoric as instability in Lebanon will have ripple effects across the region.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged all parties to focus on strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty and security.
Dr. Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Thursday accused Iran and Syria of undermining Lebanon’s independence and stability, by supporting the presence of militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley reinforced the statement saying the “U.S. has deep concerns about Hezbollah’s destructive and destabilizing influence in the region, as well as attempts by other foreign players, including Syria and Iran, to undermine Lebanon’s independence and endanger its stability.”
Crowley said Syria must make a choice. “If it wants to have a better relationship with the United States, then it has to be a more constructive player in the region. And within the context of Lebanon, we remain very concerned about Syria’s activities—not only its ongoing support of Hezbollah, [but] its attempted intimidation of a Lebanese government, [and] the ongoing provision of arms to Hezbollah in violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
A recent visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon celebrated the resistance against Israel and he vowed Iran’s support in the fight against Israel. The United States and Israel called his visit “provocative.”
