Israel's attacks on Lebanon a sign of its impunity, says former UN aid chief

Martin Griffiths says lack of consequences behind Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Gaza this week

Buildings damaged by Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs on October 1. Reuters

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Former UN aid chief Martin Griffiths has said Israel's impunity is what emboldened it to escalate its offensive in Lebanon, hours after it announced the launch of a ground invasion on Tuesday.

"Impunity is a growing pattern," said Mr Griffiths, who retired from his post in July and has been critical of the lack of accountability for Israel's actions, particularly towards civilians, during its continuing war in Gaza. When it came to Lebanon, Mr Griffiths sarcastically said he "understands" why Israel would invade its neighbour, given the lack of accountability over its actions so far since October.

"Why wouldn't they, what's going to happen to them?" Mr Griffiths asked rhetorically, pointing to the International Court of Justice's genocide case against Israel which in March issued provisional measures for Israel to take in Gaza including providing unhindered humanitarian aid to all Palestinians there.

"Even the ICJ's heroic efforts haven't been able to get the provisional measures applied in Gaza," Mr Griffiths said. "Israel looks at the attacks on their enemies and our friends – the Lebanese people – as perfectly sensible for their own security, so it’s a jungle."

Mr Griffiths also said that ground warfare "typically doesn't work", warning that it could become a breeding ground for more armed opposition.

This week, Israel fired into Yemen, Syria and Lebanon while also maintaining its strikes on Gaza nearly a year since they began on October 7.

At least 41,615 people have been killed in Gaza and 96,359 wounded. In Lebanon, the death toll has risen to more than 1,840 with 8,400 injured by Israeli attacks since October 7. In Yemen, at least six people were killed in Israeli strikes on the port city of Hodeidah, which it struck for a second time on Monday.

Israeli strikes on Syria killed three civilians and injured nine others on Monday, days after the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly that his country is engaged in a war on "seven fronts".

The UN itself is "diminishing" in its moral authority, Mr Griffiths said, adding that the Security Council has to be "reformed". This notion has long been in discussion, particularly after the failure of the passage of resolutions condemning Russia due to its veto power, as one of five permanent members (P5).

"But I'm not optimistic," Mr Griffiths said. As another member of the P5, the US has blocked several resolutions calling for a ceasefire since the beginning of Israel's war in Gaza. "Releasing the veto is the essential problem," the former UN official said, referring to the diplomatic deadlock often preventing the UNSC from making real progress in resolving global conflicts.

Mr Griffiths also said that conversations about Palestinian statehood should be taking place in public and not behind closed doors, and particularly not in a way that excludes Palestinians. "If you want to stop a war, provide a vision of what's better and provide it publicly and work privately. Don't just talk publicly without going into the ditches and trenches," he said.