Lebanese civilians paying ‘intolerable, unacceptable price,’ says EU’s top diplomat

NEW YORK — The escalation between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah is almost a full-fledged war, the European Union’s foreign policy chief says after a meeting with EU foreign ministers.

“In less than one week – less than one week – 4,400 people are wounded and almost 500 killed” in Lebanon, he says. “If this is not a war situation, you will tell me how do you call it.

“Certainly, [there] has not been a land invasion. I am not a member of the staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, so I cannot tell you which are their plans, but it is clear that they have been announcing once and again that the only solution is a full-fledged war, an invasion,” Borrell tells reporters.

“We are seeing how civilians in Lebanon are paying an intolerable, unacceptable price,” he says.

“Five hundred people killed and 4,400 people injured — this is something that escapes any kind of consideration about the civilian casualties.”

Borrell charges: “It is again in the Geneva Convention to make explosives at a distance without taking any consideration for the environment where these explosives are exploding – either in a queue in a commercial center, in a public square, on the street, in a hospital, wherever. These are targeted and at the same time random attacks. Targeted because of the purpose and random because of the consequences.

“I condemned it. I continue condemning it.”