Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 29, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Visiting Beirut, Austria’s foreign minister urges de-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, left, speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon, February 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Austria’s foreign minister urges Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon against escalating the conflict along the volatile Israel-Lebanon border and expresses hope for a pause in the fighting in between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in time for the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in March.
The Middle East has witnessed enough devastation and cruelty, says Alexander Schallenberg, speaking after meeting his Lebanese counterpart in Beirut.
“Everybody is asked not to escalate and it always takes two sides,” he says.
Schallenberg says he came to Lebanon after visiting Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank.
