Politics Ambassador to the UN Security Council: Israel will defend itself

Israel has not ruled out further attacks on the Lebanese Hezbollah militia at the United Nations Security Council.

"We will not allow Hezbollah to continue its provocations. These actions violate international law and Israel will defend itself," said Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon before the most powerful UN body in New York.

He emphasized that Hezbollah had fired more than 8,000 rockets at Israel since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas just over a year ago. Dozens of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced.

Danon accused Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib of not even mentioning the name of Hezbollah in his speech to the Security Council.

"You have allowed a terrorist organization to establish a state, a state within your state, which is bringing your own people to ruin. Instead of blaming us, your peaceful neighbors, you should now take measures to contain Hezbollah," the diplomat said. Danon emphasized that Lebanon and its government were not the problem in the conflict. Together they could find a solution. The problem, however, was Hezbollah.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there has been almost daily shelling between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah is a militia financed and trained by Iran and is regarded as a strong political force in Lebanon, which is on the verge of collapse. It claims to be acting in solidarity with the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

SDA