Germany has pledged an additional €60 million ($64.7 million) in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warning that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could result in the “complete destabilization” of the country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the support on Wednesday during a phone call with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, according to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
Baerbock visited Beirut on Wednesday, emphasizing the dangerous consequences for the wider Middle East if the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia escalates further.
“A complete destabilization of the country would be disastrous for the most religiously diverse society in the Middle East, as well as for the entire region,” Baerbock stated in the Lebanese capital before meetings with Lebanese politicians and aid organizations.
The visit, which was not publicly disclosed due to security concerns, marked Baerbock’s first trip to Lebanon since Israel intensified its conflict with Hezbollah in September, initiating a ground offensive in southern Lebanon and a series of airstrikes in Beirut in the most significant fighting since the 2006 war.
Israel’s actions have resulted in hundreds of deaths in Lebanon and forced hundreds of thousands to flee southern Lebanon.
The situation has escalated in recent days, with major missile strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.
Baerbock remarked in Beirut that Israel’s campaign has “significantly weakened the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”
She was scheduled to travel to Paris to participate in an international aid conference for Lebanon on Thursday, focusing on providing assistance to Lebanon’s war-affected population and reconstructing the country into a stable, operational state.
Participating entities include Lebanon’s international partners, the UN, the European Union, and various regional and civil society organizations.
“We now need to collaborate with our partners in the US, Europe, and the Arab world to find a viable diplomatic solution that safeguards the legitimate security interests of Israel and Lebanon,” Baerbock asserted.
The minister highlighted that the key to peace lies in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel.
Baerbock stressed the significant role of the Lebanese military – which has sought to remain neutral in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict – in enforcing the resolution, ahead of discussions with its top commander, Joseph Aoun.
Amid ongoing Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital, Baerbock’s visit followed a tight schedule, with the exact times and locations of her meetings communicated to Israel in advance.
She first met with the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, who is considered close to Hezbollah.
At a crisis response center of the Lebanese Red Cross, she received briefings from humanitarian workers, who reported recent instances of coming under fire despite publicizing their presence.
Baerbock emphasized in a statement that the humanitarian situation in Lebanon is increasingly dire amid the continued fighting.
She condemned the use of civilians as shields by terrorists and their ongoing rocket attacks on Israel, while calling on Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law and protect innocent civilians.
She also insisted on the protection of UN peacekeepers, following several attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) attributed to Israeli forces in recent weeks.
“Any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a violation of international humanitarian law,” she cautioned.
Baerbock later held a video call from the German embassy in Beirut with UNIFIL commander Aroldo Sáenz and Richard Kesten, the German admiral leading UNIFIL’s maritime task force.
Baerbock demanded aid for northern Gaza and defended the ongoing supply of arms to Israel.
The German foreign minister noted that the situation in northern Gaza is worsening daily amid a new Israeli offensive.
Northern Gaza has been isolated for 19 days, with humanitarian aid only trickling in, Baerbock stated.
She recalled an earlier promise by the Israeli government to provide substantial aid to the Gaza Strip and insisted that this aid must reach Gaza.
“There is a legal obligation to provide humanitarian aid according to international law,” she added.
Baerbock highlighted the International Court of Justice’s ruling that Israel must provide aid to civilians in Gaza, emphasizing that this ruling is binding on Israel under international law.
However, she maintained that Germany continues to support Israel, including with arms, in its right to self-defense.
All arms deliveries adhere to international humanitarian law, she stressed.
“The Israeli government is responsible for ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law,” the minister affirmed.