Beirut: President Joseph Aoun on Monday informed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk that Israel's continued destruction of homes and demolition of villages in areas it occupies in southern Lebanon constitutes "a direct violation of human rights" and a clear breach of international law.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, during a meeting at Baabda Palace, Aoun emphasized that Israel's actions required an international response to halt what he described as a destructive policy similar to that pursued in Gaza. The president expressed concern that Israel had targeted religious and heritage sites, suggesting that such attacks reflected deliberate intent against both people and cultural landmarks, particularly as those sites were neither military positions nor areas of armed activity.
Aoun reiterated Lebanon's commitment to implementing the "framework agreement" reached following negotiations in Washington, but cautioned that continued Israeli actions risked undermining its effectiveness. He stressed that Lebanon would not accept ongoing violations of the agreement or the disregard of international calls for its implementation.
Furthermore, the president noted that the Israeli war had disrupted the government's reform agenda. Nonetheless, he emphasized that Lebanon remained committed to adopting further reforms because they were a national necessity rather than a response to international demands.
For his part, Trk stated that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was closely monitoring developments in Lebanon, particularly the continuing Israeli attacks since March 2, as part of efforts to prepare a comprehensive report on human rights violations. He also reaffirmed the international community's continued support for Lebanon and its humanitarian needs.