The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal statement calling on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to support efforts aimed at achieving peace with Lebanon, rather than equating sovereign states with militant groups.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the ministry released the statement on its official X social media account. The response follows Guterres' recent remarks suggesting that Israel and the radical Hezbollah group were allegedly aiding each other in destabilizing the Lebanese government.
"Equating a sovereign UN member state with a terrorist organization is further evidence of the UN Secretary-General's failure. The organization has failed to disarm Hezbollah and has been unable to implement the Security Council's own resolution. Antonio Guterres must resolutely support the efforts to achieve peace between Israel and Lebanon," the ministry's statement emphasized.
The diplomatic tension comes in the wake of the first round of Lebanon-Israel contacts held in Washington on April 14 under the auspices of the United States. During those sessions, led by Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hammad-Muavvad and Israel's Ambassador Yehiel Leiter, the parties aimed to establish a timeline for peace negotiations to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah remains a significant point of regional instability. International observers note that UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which called for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, has faced significant implementation challenges since its adoption in 2006. These diplomatic exchanges highlight the complex nature of mediation efforts in the Middle East as global powers seek to prevent further escalation in the region.
