There’ll be no solution to a conflict that’s cost thousands of lives until Lebanon strengthens its political institutions, the EU’s chief diplomat said.
The European Union should try to benefit from Hezbollah’s current “weakness” to strengthen Lebanon’s political structures and ensure a ceasefire deal with Israel, the bloc’s top diplomat said on Tuesday.
“Without a strong commitment to political reform within Lebanese society by Lebanon’s political actors, Lebanon has no solution,” Josep Borrell told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“We have to help this country. We have to use this opportunity of Hezbollah’s weakness to strengthen Lebanon’s political structures and we have to bring about a ceasefire in the region,” he added.
Fighting between militants from Hezbollah, backed by Iran and deemed a terrorist group by the EU, and Israel intensified in late September and an Israeli ground offensive is now taking place in southern Lebanon.
The two sides have been exchanging fire since Israel started a war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for a deadly attack the Palestinian militant group conducted in Israel on 7 October 2023.
Recent Israeli airstrikes have led to the deaths of top commanders including Hezbollah’s long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and to the displacement of about 20% of Lebanon’s 5.5 million population. At least 2,000 people are now also believed to have lost their lives in the Lebanon conflict.
Borrell said long-term stability in Lebanon hinged on “four essential actions”, including the election of a new president, a post that’s been vacant for two years; additional support for the Lebanese army through the EU’s European Peace Facility; a stronger United Nations presence on the border; and further material and humanitarian assistance.
He called on the EU to outline when it will disburse a €1 billion package of financial assistance for Lebanon, announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in May, and backed a French proposal to hold a humanitarian conference this month.
He cast doubt on whether Israel’s military invasion — the fourth since 1982 — would lead to a political solution, arguing it could merely destabilise the region and strengthen Hezbollah further.
“History shows that there are no military solutions to conflicts that are deeply rooted in the structures of a region like the Middle East and in the face of a country’s institutional weakness,” he said, adding: “That is what we have to take into account when assessing our action.”
“This is also the moment of truth for us, to know whether we are really capable of helping Lebanon,” Borrell told EU lawmakers.
“First and foremost, the Lebanese political class must be made to face up to its responsibilities. Without them, certainly no country has a solution,” he added.
Borrell has repeatedly called on regional actors to respect international and humanitarian law and criticised Israel for bombarding civilian infrastructure and for settler violence in the occupied West Bank. He has also tabled a proposal to sanction two Israeli ministers.
The 77-year-old Spaniard is due to step down from his role as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs in December. He will be replaced by Estonia’s Kaja Kallas.
