Statement by Foreign Minister Baerbock at the International Support Conference for Lebanon in Paris - 24 October 2024

 

Federal Foreign Office Speech 24.10.2024

Statement by Foreign Minister Baerbock at the International Support Conference for Lebanon in Paris

I just came back from Beirut last night. Yesterday, I was able to speak with people in Lebanon. And I was able to see, to feel how exhausted they are. Exhausted from these last years of crises. Exhausted from the economic situation. Exhausted from the political paralysis. And exhausted from the last two months. 2400 people have been killed, among them 127 children and 95 health workers. I was sitting on a panel in New York with High Commissioner Grandi when he was informed about two UNHCR female workers who had been killed, one of them together with her little baby. The exhaustion is not only a strain on every individual in Lebanon, but also on what makes Lebanon so unique in the whole region: it's a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. On the other hand, what I also felt yesterday in Beirut was not only exhaustion, but also the strong sense of solidarity. Children living on the streets, instead of being in school. People coming by to help them. Germany is providing substantial support for the Lebanese Red Cross. And when I visited them yesterday, they told me they cannot give enough work to all the volunteers who are coming to help right now. The Lebanese people are making it clear that they want to protect their country, that they want to protect their multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. This is why, in this moment of crisis, Germany is stepping up its humanitarian aid. Because that’s what is needed right now. In September, we committed 62 million euro of humanitarian assistance to Lebanon. The funding is already being put to use in four mobile clinics, in Akkar, Nabatiyeh and Baalbek, to provide healthcare for more than 1.9 million people. And today, we are pledging another 96 million euro to support displaced people. 36 million will go to humanitarian aid and 60 million into developing funding. But obviously, the truth is: we have to come to a political solution as well. We need a ceasefire. We need a political horizon. And since this is a working conference, I would like to leave you with some of the questions that were put to me yesterday in Beirut, but also in the days before that. Because we have been calling for the implementation of Resolution 1701 for 12 months now. But obviously, it didn't happen because of Hezbollah’s ongoing rocket attacks against Israel. And even though we launched a strong appeal for a 21-day ceasefire in New York, headed by the US, France, but also Arab countries, that didn't happen either. I think we have to step up our efforts now. When I was speaking with the Lebanese Armed Forces, with General Aoun yesterday, he made it very clear that they are ready – and we have heard it here as well – to play their role in the south of Lebanon. And it is very clear that we need UNIFIL there. This is why I would like to emphasize: we don’t need less UNIFIL, but a stronger UNIFIL mission. But this also means that we have to ask ourselves the question, what does it mean? Because in the south of Lebanon UNIFIL was operating just beside Hezbollah tunnels. We have to address this question. If we say UNIFIL and the LAF have to take care of the south of Lebanon, how should we do this? I strongly believe, we can do it all together. It needs the political will from all sides. But we also have to face the question that the special envoy from France, Jean-Yves Le Drian, has raised: what role is Iran playing right now? Yesterday, I learned that, apparently, there are now also Revolutionary Guards in the south. This is another point we have to address if we are speaking about the implementation of Resolution 1701. Hezbollah forces must be withdrawn behind the Litani River. The militias must be disarmed. And obviously, and this is also the clear message I sent yesterday, Israeli forces should withdraw behind the Blue Line. Because otherwise the whole implementation of Resolution 1701 doesn't work. And right now, we need to do everything to implement 1701. I think it's more important than ever.