The European Union strongly condemned statements by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling for Lebanon to 'burn'.
At a daily press briefing in Brussels, EU Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs Anwar El-Anuni said, "We condemn this rhetoric in the strongest terms."
Sanction Discussions and the EU's Stance
Spokesperson El-Anuni stated that the issue of imposing sanctions on Ben Gvir was raised at the latest meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, but no consensus was reached among member states on the matter.
"I will not speculate or set any expectations regarding future steps against Ben Gvir," El-Anuni said, emphasizing that the EU stands with Lebanon and its people.
El-Anuni expressed that Lebanon is paying a heavy price for a war it did not choose and that the Lebanese people have been suffering immensely for a long time.
Support for Lebanon and Call to Israel
The European Union called on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to withdraw from Lebanese territory in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had said that "Lebanon must burn" following the death of Israeli soldiers in an attack by Hezbollah on Israeli forces within Lebanese territory.
Ben Gvir used the expression, "For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry."
Meanwhile, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for intensifying attacks on Lebanon after the death of four Israeli soldiers, saying, "Open the gates of hell."
Israel's Operation in Lebanon
Israel launched a large-scale attack on Lebanon starting March 2. According to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 4,106 people have been killed, 12,153 injured, and over one million displaced in the attacks.
Israel has occupied some areas in southern Lebanon for decades, and some others since the previous war between 2023 and 2024. During the current attacks, it advanced more than 10 kilometers and entered Lebanese territory.
Israel also continues to occupy Palestinian and Syrian territories and refuses to withdraw from these lands to establish an independent Palestinian State as envisaged in relevant United Nations resolutions.
