UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 Weaponizing ordinary communication devices represents a new development in warfare, and targeting thousands of Lebanese people using pagers, two-way radios and electronic equipment without their knowledge is a violation of international human rights law, the United Nations human rights chief said Friday.
Volker T眉rk told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council there must be an independent and transparent investigation of the on Tuesday and Wednesday where these devices exploded, reportedly killing 37 people and injuring more than 3,400 others.
鈥淭hose who ordered and carried out these attacks must be held to account,鈥 he said.
Lebanon has blamed Israel for the attacks, which appeared to but also saw many civilian casualties, including children. , including a war in 2006, and it has conducted near-daily strikes against Israel to support Hamas militants who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
Before the council meeting, Israel鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon was asked by reporters about speculation Israel was behind the two explosions.
鈥淲e are not commenting on the specific attacks you mentioned, but I can tell you that we will do everything we can to target those terrorists to minimize casualties for civilians,鈥 he replied.
Lebanon鈥檚 Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib accused Israel of on streets, in markets, shops and their homes where their communications devices exploded.
He held up a photo of a mangled and bloodied hand, telling ambassadors from the 15 council nations: 鈥淟ook at the ugliness of what has happened in this picture.鈥
Bouhabib insisted that Israel not only launched the attacks but told the council there were 鈥渙fficial declarations鈥 and a tweet by an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 鈥渢hat was lately deleted, emphasizing the responsibility of Israel and praising the positive results of this assault.鈥
He appeared to be referring to a deleted tweet by Netanyahu adviser Topaz Luke, who reportedly retweeted a post that included a reply indicating that Israel was behind the attacks in Lebanon and neighboring Syria.
Israel鈥檚 Danon criticized the Lebanese minister for never mentioning Hezbollah and said the Lebanese people are 鈥渢rapped in the grip of this terrorist organization.鈥
Lebanon鈥檚 Bouhabib warned the council that if it doesn鈥檛 condemn the week鈥檚 deadly explosions and name Israel as the perpetrator, a 鈥淧andora鈥檚 Box鈥 will be opened, and governments and extremists will target, terrorize and kill civilians with similar communications devices on trains, planes and elsewhere.
T眉rk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said the explosions not only but also appear to violate international humanitarian law鈥檚 key principles in carrying out attacks: distinction between civilians and combatants, proportionality, and precautions.
International law also prohibits the use of booby-trap devices that look harmless, he said, and 鈥渋t is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians.鈥
鈥淟et me be clear 鈥 this method of warfare may be new and unfamiliar,鈥 T眉rk said, 鈥渂ut international humanitarian and human rights law apply regardless and must be upheld.鈥
Israel鈥檚 Danon blamed Iran and its 鈥減uppet鈥 for the military action across the Lebanon-Israel border.
鈥淲hile Israel is not seeking a wider conflict, let me be clear: We will not allow Hezbollah to continue its provocations,鈥 he said. Israel will do 鈥渨hatever it takes鈥 to return its 60,000 citizens who fled their homes in the north because of attacks, 鈥渁nd we will not allow Hezbollah鈥檚 terror to dictate the future of our nation.鈥
Iran鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani countered that 鈥淚srael bears full responsibility for the perpetration of such horrific crimes,鈥 and said his government will pursue accountability for the to Lebanon, whose eyes were injured in the explosions Tuesday.
He said the gravity of the attacks against the Lebanese people must also be seen as 鈥渁 threat to peace and security across the region.鈥 He added that 鈥渢he international community must not ignore the role the Western countries, in particular the United States and U.K., play in enabling Israel鈥檚 aggressions.鈥
U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned the council that the explosions along with more than 11 months of bloodshed in Gaza, and near-daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border, pose a grave risk to security and stability in the region.
She urged all actors to exercise maximum restraint, and she strongly urged countries with influence on the parties 鈥渢o leverage it now.鈥
Earlier, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric urged Israel and Hezbollah to immediately return to the cessation of hostilities that existed before Hamas鈥 Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel and Israel's responding military campaign in Gaza, warning that 鈥渢he region is on the brink of a catastrophe鈥 and a diplomatic solution should be pursued urgently.
