Lebanon files complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli attacks on agricultural sector

In response to inquiries about Israel's attacks on the agricultural sector and livestock farmers in border villages, the Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ministry announced that Lebanon has lodged a formal complaint with the UN Security Council. 

The complaint was submitted through Lebanon's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on July 3, 2024. 

The ministry clarified that the complaint includes official statistics on the number of fires caused by Israel's use of white phosphorus, totaling 683 fires. It also detailed the fully burned areas, which exceeded 2,100 dunams from October 8 last year to mid-March this year, in addition to the damaged forest and agricultural lands, which reached 6,000 dunams.

The complaint emphasized that these systematic attacks constitute a blatant violation of Article 55 of the First Additional Protocol (1977) to the Geneva Conventions (1949), which mandates that "caution should be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment against widespread, long-term, and severe damage."

Consequently, 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. 

Lebanon urged the Council to ensure that Israel does not escape punishment for these crimes, arguing that a lack of condemnation would enable Israel to continue its aggression without deterrence.