UN aid chief warns of new Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon

As Israel expands Lebanon invasion, Tom Fletcher asks how world will prepare for ‘new addition’ to occupied territory.The United Nations humanitarian chief has asked the UN Security Council (UNSC) what it is prepared to do to protect civilians in Lebanon as Israel pushes ahead with its ground invasion and bombardment of the country.Speaking during an emergency UNSC session on Tuesday, Tom Fletcher noted that the question is critical given recent comments from Israeli ministers about Israel’s aims in Lebanon as well as its genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran war: What is happening on day 32 of US-Israel attacks?list 2 of 3Three Indonesian peacekeepers killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanonlist 3 of 3Tyre hospital ‘hit five times’ since start of Israel’s attacks on Lebanonend of list“Given the trajectory that some Israeli ministers have described and given what we have seen in plain sight in Gaza, how will you protect civilians?” Fletcher asked the council.“Secondly, given the intensity of the coercive displacement that we are seeing, how should we prepare collectively as the international community for a new addition to the list of occupied territories?”More than 1.1 million people have been displaced across Lebanon since Israel launched intensified attacks on the country on March 2 after Hezbollah fired missiles into northern Israel during the US-Israeli war on Iran.The meeting at UN headquarters in New York was held after Israeli Defence Minister Israel-katz" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="4249" data-entity-type="person">Israel Katz said his country planned to occupy parts of southern Lebanon even after the current escalation with Hezbollah ends.“At the end of the operation, the [Israeli army] will establish itself in a security zone inside Lebanon … and will maintain security control over the entire area up to the Litani [River],” Katz said in a video message.Israeli troops began pushing deeper into southern Lebanon this week as part of what the military said is a campaign to ensure the residents in northern Israel are protected against missile attacks.