Britain Calls for Israeli Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon

Chair of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Emily Thornberry said tensions in Lebanon must be addressed through a diplomatic path, stressing the need to support Lebanese state institutions and enable them to extend their authority across the country.

Thornberry said any security vacuum in southern Lebanon should be filled by the Lebanese army and international forces, adding that regional stability requires the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

She also called for strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese state and its institutions in a way that helps consolidate security and stability.

Thornberry said continued external influence in southern Lebanon is obstructing de-escalation efforts. She urged Iran to stop interfering in the Lebanese scene.

She stressed that a sustainable solution to the crisis can only be achieved through political and diplomatic understandings that support Lebanon’s sovereignty and reinforce the authority of the state.