Explosions in Lebanon mark an 'unacceptable escalation of violence', says Tánaiste
Referring to negotiations around the conflict in Gaza, Mr Martin called for "renewed efforts to reach agreement in mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal". Picture: Brian Lawless/PA
The explosions which killed at least 26 people and wounded thousands in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday represent an "unacceptable escalation of violence" which increases "the risk of a wider conflict" in the Middle East, the Tánaiste has said.
At least 12 people were killed, and about 2,800 people were wounded as hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members began exploding across Lebanon on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, an apparent second wave of detonations of electronic devices - mostly walkie-talkies - killed a further 14 people, and injured hundreds more, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
A security source told that Israel's spy agency Mossad, which has a long history of sophisticated operations on foreign soil, planted explosives inside the pagers imported by Hezbollah months before Tuesday's detonations. Israel has not commented on the explosions.
Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the Gaza conflict erupted last October, fuelling fears of a wider Middle East conflict.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said the "indiscriminate attacks" demonstrated "a blatant disregard for the lives of innocent civilians".
"They are also in violation of international humanitarian law," he said.
Mr Martin said the detonations risked inflaming an already tense situation in the Middle East, increasing "the risk of a wider conflict in the region", which he said would be "disastrous for everyone".
Referring to negotiations around the conflict in Gaza, Mr Martin called for "renewed efforts to reach agreement in mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal".
"I urge Hamas and Israel to engage positively and flexibly in this process. We also need to see humanitarian access to Gaza at scale," he said.
Mr Martin said he remained convinced that "implementation of the two-State solution is the only way to establish lasting peace and security for both Israel and Palestine".
Also on Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on Israel to end its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories within a year.
The resolution backed a July 2024 Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which found that Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories is unlawful.
Mr Martin said he welcomed the adoption of the resolution.
Mr Martin said the opinion of the court largely confirms the Government’s own legal analysis.
"Ireland co-sponsored and voted in favour of this Resolution. We, as the international community, must now turn our minds to implementation.
"I have already made it clear that the implications of the Advisory Opinion require careful consideration at both national and EU level. This Resolution provides a firm basis for these reflections," he said.
Mr Martin added that the European Union needed to be "consistent in upholding the rules-based international order" and that he would be raising this point with his EU counterparts at an upcoming UN meeting in New York.
"I am under no illusions as to the complexity and the challenges that this will entail. We must not shy away from the need to ensure compliance with international law," he said.
"The occupation must be brought to an end."
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