Eduardo González
The Spanish government has expressed its “strongest condemnation” of the Israeli authorities’ decision to order the destruction of all bridges over the Litani River, as well as the homes of Lebanese civilians in border villages, which constitutes “a flagrant and premeditated violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Civilian infrastructure, including homes and healthcare facilities, can never be considered military objectives under international law,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned in a statement on Monday, March 23. “These actions violate the most basic principles of international humanitarian law, destroying the lives of innocent civilians,” it denounced.
“Spain categorically reiterates its condemnation of any attempt to isolate and divide Lebanese territory and urges respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” it continued. “The Government of Spain calls on the international community to act to prevent impunity for these actions and to strengthen support for the efforts of the Lebanese Government to consolidate sovereignty and territorial integrity under its authority,” it concluded.
“Tonight, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked and destroyed a major bridge over the Litani River that served as a crossing point for Hezbollah terrorists and the transfer of weapons to southern Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced in a statement last Friday.
“This is only the beginning. The Lebanese government and state will pay an ever-increasing price, with damage to Lebanese national infrastructure used by Hezbollah terrorists to carry out terrorist activities and fire on the State of Israel,” he asserted, amidst the campaign of bombings and ground incursions against Lebanon in retaliation for Hezbollah rocket fire against Israel.
According to Katz, Lebanon “is lying and not fulfilling its commitment to disarm Hezbollah” and, therefore, “will continue to pay an ever-increasing price in damages and loss of territory until the central objective of achieving Hezbollah’s disarmament is realized.”