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Geneva, Thank you, Mr. President. The human suffering on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border earlier this year was a tragedy and remains a serious concern of the United States. Hizballah dragged the Lebanese people into a conflict with terrible implications for the entire region. We remain deeply concerned that Hizballah and its allies, the Governments of Syria and Iran, continue to work to destabilize Lebanon. We call on Syria and Iran to cease their destabilizing tactics and to observe the embargo on illicit weapons that was mandated by UNSCR 1701. The United States remains a strong supporter of Lebanon’s democratically elected government, and the Lebanese people, who deserve a prosperous and secure country in which they are free to make decisions without fear of violence or intimidation. The resolution against Israel adopted at the Special Session on Lebanon was one-sided, and failed to condemn Hizballah’s egregious actions, including the armed attack that precipitated the crisis and Hizballah’s deliberate targeting of civilians. This imbalance extended to the Commission’s mandate. No report can be credible that attempts to find facts and draw conclusions about an armed conflict without examining the actions of both sides. As a result, the report rewards Hizbollah’s acts of deliberately attacking from populated areas and putting civilians in harm’s way. Moreover, the Commission blurs the distinction between international humanitarian law, which is the law applicable to armed conflict, and human rights law. Recalling the suffering on both sides, and reiterating our dedication to helping Lebanon rebuild, we urge the Council to live up to its responsibility to consider all sides of a situation -- and to act constructively, in accordance with its mandate, to promote and protect human rights so as to end the suffering on both sides. Thank you, Mr. President.
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