Lebanon files complaint with Security Council regarding Israeli attacks on agricultural sector

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issued the following:

In response to a question regarding Israel’s attacks on the agricultural sector, farmers and livestock breeders in border villages, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants stated that on July 3, 2024, it had submitted a complaint to the Security Council in this regard, through the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations in New York.

The complaint included official statistics on the number of fires resulting from Israel’s use of white phosphorus, which amounted to 683 fires, and on the area of ​​land completely burned, which exceeded 2,100 dunams during the period extending from October 8th to mid-March of this year, in addition to the area of ​​damaged forest and agricultural land, which amounted to 6,000 dunams.
The complaint indicated that these systematic attacks are a flagrant violation of Article 55 of Additional Protocol I (1977) to the Geneva Conventions (1949), which stipulates that “care must be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment against widespread, long-term and severe damage.”

Accordingly, Lebanon called on the UN Security Council to condemn Israel for its direct, deliberate and repeated targeting of civilians and the natural environment in Lebanon, and to work to ensure that it does not escape punishment for these crimes, considering that failure to condemn would give Israel a free hand to continue its aggression without any deterrent.