UNITED NATIONS, Nov 22: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had received a bipartisan letter from US congressmen urging him to confront Hezbollah’s activities targeted against Israel, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing.
“The letter was received. As with all letters, we will answer it,” Dujarric said on Thursday.
On November 18, 240 members of Congress wrote a letter to Guterres urging him to lead an international effort to limit Hezbollah’s capabilities and avoid the devastating but avoidable outcome of which you they have previously warned.
The congressmen said they feared significant civilian casualties in Lebanon if Israel were forced to act to defend itself because Hezbollah has positioned its massive arsenal in civilian areas thereby turning much of Lebanon’s population into human shields.
The lawmakers also urged Guterres to assist Lebanon’s prime minister and president to implement UN Security Council resolution 1701, which stipulates the importance of full control of the government over the country and the disarmament of all armed groups, including Hezbollah.
The long-standing tensions between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement escalated in August after an Israeli drone strike on a media office belonging to Hezbollah near Beirut.
(agencies)
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