Egypt, Jordan & Iraq condemn Israeli ‘aggression’ in Lebanon as world leaders excoriate Israel at UN

Erdoğan again compares Netanyahu to Hitler; Brazil and Colombia slam Jewish state

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Israel’s intensified strikes in Lebanon have drawn considerable international condemnation, including from its neighbors Egypt and Jordan, as well as numerous countries that used the UN General Assembly (UNGA) podium to blast Israel.

After a meeting on the sidelines of the assembly in New York City, the foreign ministers of Jordan and Egypt – which have been at peace with Israel for decades – as well as Iraq, condemned Israel in a joint statement.

“The ministers discussed the dangerous escalation taking place in the region, and stressed that stopping this escalation begins with stopping the Israeli aggression on Gaza,” the statement read.

“The ministers also condemned the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and stressed that Israel is pushing the region towards a comprehensive war. The ministers called on the international community and the Security Council to assume their relevant responsibilities to stop the war and indicated that Israel bears full responsibility for this deterioration, which will have serious consequences for the entire region.”

اجتمع وزراء خارجية كل من المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية وجمهورية مصر العربية وجمهورية العراق بتاريخ ٢٤ أيلول ٢٠٢٤ على هامش أعمال الدورة ٧٩ للجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة في نيويورك.

وبحث الوزراء مسار العمل في إطار آلية التعاون الثلاثي، وذلك تحضيراً للقمة الثلاثية المرتقبة على مستوى… pic.twitter.com/X1KgGPzdlk
— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) September 25, 2024

Jordan’s King Abdullah II also slammed Israel in his speech at the UNGA, focusing more on the war in Gaza than the recent escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

After months of facing accusations of war crimes and civilian casualties in the Gaza War, Israel is now seeing the focus of international condemnation shift to its recent operations in Lebanon.

#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the developments of security events taking place in Lebanese territories. pic.twitter.com/6QesYE3S0t
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) September 23, 2024

Notably, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia only expressed their “great concern” over the events in Lebanon, without directly condemning Israel.

The IDF has been conducting near-continuous strikes on Hezbollah targets since Monday morning, with the Lebanese Health Ministry claiming over 500 dead and thousands wounded, however, without distinguishing between terrorists and civilians.

While the U.S. has offered tacit support and warnings against further escalation, several Western countries have used sharper language, counseling immediate de-escalation while decrying the mounting casualty numbers.

For example, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on 𝕏: “The dramatically escalating violence on the Israeli-Lebanese border is shocking - especially reports of civilians killed, including children.”

“The logic of strike and counter-strike has catastrophic consequences for the region. De-escalation on all sides is the order of the day.” she wrote.

Meanwhile, condemning Israel and calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon has become a focal point of the ongoing UN General Assembly.

Latin American and African states joined the chorus of criticism led by the representatives of Muslim nations, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who once again compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

🇹🇷 Erdogan at the UN: "Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity. The UN General Assembly's authority to recommend use of force should be considered." pic.twitter.com/TYticn2xRs
— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) September 24, 2024

“Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity,” read Erdoğan's post on 𝕏.

Others who criticized Israel included Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who accused Israel of committing "a genocide against Palestinians," and Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who labeled the war on Hamas as "collective punishment."

On Tuesday, Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, warned that “Israel’s state terrorism in Lebanon cannot go unanswered” in his speech at the UNGA.