'Afraid of a coming war': Lebanese FM requests UN help against Israel

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib fears war with Israel due to recent Hezbollah explosions and urges the UN and US for intervention, while the UNGA votes against Israel.

 Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib gestures as he speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, Lebanon November 2, 2021.  (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib gestures as he speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, Lebanon November 2, 2021.
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed his fear of a potential war with Israel in a CNN interview on Thursday after Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday.

Speaking with CNN's Christine Amanpour, Habib emphasized, “There is no doubt it is a scary moment, and we are afraid of a coming war because we don't want a war.” He further explained that while “there were skirmishes on the border,” which “sometimes escalated, now we are talking about the beginning of a war."

"That's why we're going to the UN Security Council to stop this. We are against war in Lebanon. The government of Lebanon does not want war and does not even want the skirmishes in the south of Lebanon," Habib continued.

Seeking the UN for regional solutions

"So we need the help of the United Nations. We also need the help of the United States in order to re-establish some kind of peace in South Lebanon." 

 Final count of the UN decision to demand Israel end 'unlawful' presence in Palestinian territories within 12 months. (credit: Via Maariv)
Final count of the UN decision to demand Israel end 'unlawful' presence in Palestinian territories within 12 months. (credit: Via Maariv)

The Lebanese FM's plea for UN aid comes after the General Assembly approved a resolution to impede the IDF's operations in the West Bank severely.

The resolution calls on the IDF, which has military control of the West Bank and Gaza, to fully withdraw from those territories within 12 months as part of an extensive list of 19 demands.

This would include evacuating all West Bank settlements and outposts. As part of that evacuation, Israel will be asked to withdraw from all parts of east Jerusalem, including the Old City.

Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.