Canada condemned an Israeli plan to occupy a defensive buffer zone in southern Lebanon, calling for Lebanon’s sovereignty not to be violated, on Tuesday.
In a post on the Canadian Foreign Policy X/Twitter, Canada announced that it “strongly condemns Israel’s plans to occupy territory in southern Lebanon,” adding that it “reiterates its solidarity with the government of Lebanon and its people.”
“We urge all parties to protect civilians, refrain from attacks on infrastructure, health workers, and peacekeepers, and act in accordance with international law,” the statement continued.
Canada also urged the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah to cease all attacks on Israel and disarm.
The plan, which was announced on Tuesday by Defense Minister Israel Katz, would entail Israeli forces occupying Lebanese territory between the Litani River and Israel’s northern border in an effort to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah.
On March 2, Hezbollah attacked Israel in what it claimed was revenge for the assassination of former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and had launched daily rocket attacks targeting civilian areas in northern Israel since.
Lebanese President, Prime Minister decry Hezbollah involvement
Since early March, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have both voiced support for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
On March 22, Salam blamed Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into war with Israel during an interview with Saudi newspaper Al-Hadath, stating that involvement in the ongoing war between Israel and Iran “is not Lebanon’s choice.”
Salam stated that he “will not yield to [Hezbollah’s] coercion,” adding that the Lebanese government “will not back down” from attempts to disarm the terror group.
On March 9, Aoun decried Hezbollah’s attack as an attempt to lure Israel into conflict with Lebanon perpetrated by those who want to “buy the fall of the Lebanese state” in a post on X/Twitter.
He additionally issued a plea for support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, promising to disarm Hezbollah and “confiscate all weapons” from the terrorist organization once support is received.
Leo Feierberg Better and Reuters contributed to this report.