President, 

I thank France for having requested this emergency meeting. My thanks also go to Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for their briefings. 

Recent weeks have witnessed a sharp rise in tensions between Lebanon and Israel. A few hours ago, the IDF attacked UNIFIL positions and an observation tower, causing injuries to UNIFIL personnel. China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation. UNIFIL carries out its peacekeeping tasks under the mandate from the Security Council resolution. Any deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a severe violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701. Such acts must stop immediately. We demand that these attacks be investigated and those responsible be held to account. Measures must be taken to prevent any re-occurrence. We reiterate that all parties to the conflict must effectively guarantee the safety and security of all UN personnel and assets, including UNIFIL. 

President, 

The gravity of the current situation is clear, as is the right direction to deescalation. I would like to emphasize the following three points. 

First, since October last year, the series of destabilizing events that have taken place in the Middle East have resulted in more than 100,000 civilian casualties and left millions of people displaced. The cleanup work will take a decade or so. What's more, the trauma brought by conflicts will be a lingering nightmare for generations to come. The Middle East cannot afford a full-scale war. The conflict cannot continue to expand. All parties must keep in mind the interest of maintaining regional peace and stability, deal with the current situation in a calm, rational, and responsible manner, and make sincere efforts towards breaking the cycle of violence. 

Second, achieving a ceasefire must be an overarching priority. We note that all parties in Lebanon have already made a unanimous call for an immediate ceasefire. The Arab League has also issued an explicit appeal. It is clear who holds the key to ending this crisis. We urge Israel to set aside its obsession with the use of force, make the right political decision, stop violating Lebanon’s sovereignty and territory integrity, and end its adventurous behavior that could drag the region into a new catastrophe. 

Third, there is no time to lose for the Council to act. The vast majority  of Council members have long since reached a broad consensus on deescalating the conflict, achieving a ceasefire, stopping the violence, and seeking a diplomatic solution. We urge a certain country to stop its passive procrastination, cover-up, and connivance. Instead, it should act responsibly and play a constructive role in order to prevent further destabilization of the situation. 

I thank you, President.