UNITED NATIONS, September 26. /TASS/. Full compliance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 remains the key to de-escalating tensions and averting bloodshed in Lebanon, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told the UN Security Council.

"We presume, in a consistent and steadfast fashion, that a full and comprehensive compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1701 is needed. It combines Israel’s commitments to refrain from all offensive military operations, withdraw from Southern Lebanon and end occupation of Lebanon with provisions about Hezbollah’s withdrawal of all its forces north of the Litani River," he said.

The deputy foreign minister expressed full support to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) that plays "the key stabilizing role" along the so-called blue line that separates Lebanon and Israel.

Inaction over Israel’s actions in Gaza unacceptable

"The looming phantom of a major war in the Middle East can be prevented only by stopping the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, where the number of victims f Israel’s inhumane military campaign has already exceeded 42,000 people," he said. "The inaction of the UN Security Council, which is de-facto held hostage by one permanent member, is unacceptable, especially since it has a broad range of effective instruments to push the warring parties to peace."

In his opinion, this approach will help to save many lives, including those of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

"Resolving the Palestinian issue on the well-known international legal basis should be the next important step. There simply can be no other solution to all crises in the Middle East without exception," Vershinin added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 250 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as retaliation for the aggressive actions taken by Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, launching air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria before starting a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave.

Against this background, tensions began to rise on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Since October 8, 2023, ongoing cross-border strikes on Israel from Lebanon’s territory have prompted return fire from Israeli forces, who, according to military reports, are targeting Hezbollah facilities. To date, approximately 80,000 people have been evacuated from northern Israel.