UN human rights chief says Israel must end occupation and house demolitions in Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — The United Nations’ human rights chief said Monday that Israel must end its occupation of large areas of southern Lebanon and halt the demolition of homes, days before Lebanese and Israeli officials are set to hold another round of direct talks.

Volker Türk spoke to The Associated Press as he wrapped up a visit to Lebanon, his second in just over a year. He met with government officials, civil society representatives and Lebanese people displaced by the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.

The visit came about a week before Lebanese and Israeli officials are to meet in Rome for talks on implementing a framework deal reached June 26. It laid out a plan for the deployment of Lebanese military forces in areas in southern Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, alongside the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and says it will not disarm.

Türk said some Israeli actions in Lebanon could amount to war crimes, echoing criticism from other human rights groups over the widespread destruction of towns and villages, and the dozens of medical workers and journalists killed.

“Demolition of this type raises huge flags about compliance with international humanitarian law,” Türk said, describing what has happened as a “wholesale destruction” of civilian homes.

Israel has said that its attacks target Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure. It accuses the group of hiding among civilians, and says its troops in occupied parts of southern Lebanon have revealed weapons warehouses and tunnel networks belonging to the group.

The latest conflict started March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel after the U.S.-Israeli February attacks that set off the Iran war. Israel launched an aerial campaign and ground invasion in Lebanon, killing more than 4,000 people and displacing 1.2 million others. The Israeli military still occupies dozens of towns and villages in southern Lebanon.

Türk, who is based in Geneva, also met with a visiting team from his office investigating attacks in Lebanon during the war.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who met with Türk on Monday, said Lebanon remains committed to the agreement, but warned that Israel’s continued military presence and demolitions may “undermine its effectiveness.”

Lebanon “will not accept ongoing violations of its provisions,” Aoun was quoted as saying during the meeting from his office.

The agreement controversially includes both sides withholding from pursuing any form of legal accountability, a move widely criticized in Lebanon.

Türk, who has also criticized Hezbollah for its attacks on northern Israeli towns, called for an end to Israel’s occupation in southern Lebanon, and for displaced people to return safely to their homes.

“I met yesterday a man who told me that he returned to his village in this zone … south of this so-called yellow line,” he said. “The Israelis were there, they prevented him from going anywhere close to it, and he saw how the village was demolished.”

Türk said he had contacted Israeli authorities hoping to conduct a similar visit, but had received no reply. Israel was among 10 countries that voted against appointing Türk to a second term, alongside the United States and Russia, at the United Nations General Assembly.