UN Human Rights Chief Says Israel Must End Occupation and Home Demolitions in Lebanon

JAKARTA - The United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said on Monday that Israel must end its occupation of most of southern Lebanon and stop the destruction of homes, days before Lebanese and Israeli officials are scheduled to hold another round of direct talks.

Türk said some of Israel's actions in Lebanon could be categorized as war crimes, echoing criticism from other human rights groups over the widespread destruction of towns and villages, as well as dozens of medical workers and journalists killed.

"This type of destruction raises great concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law," Türk said, describing what has happened as "massive destruction" of civilian homes.

Türk spoke to the Associated Press as he wrapped up his visit to Lebanon, his second in more than a year.

He met with government officials, civil society representatives, and Lebanese citizens who were displaced by the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

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

Separately, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who met with Türk on Monday, said Lebanon remained committed to the agreement, but warned that Israel's continued military presence and destruction could "undermine its effectiveness."

Lebanon "will not accept continued violations of its provisions," President Aoun said, quoted in a statement from his office.

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

Türk, who also criticized Hezbollah for its attacks on cities in northern Israel, called for an end to Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon, and for refugees to be able to return safely to their homes.

"Yesterday I met a man who told me that he had returned to his village in this zone south of the so-called yellow line," he said.

"The Israelis were there, they prevented him from approaching the place, and he saw how the village was destroyed," he said.

Türk said he had contacted Israeli authorities in hopes of making a similar visit, but had not received a response.

The visit was made about a week before Lebanese and Israeli officials met in Rome to discuss the implementation of the framework agreement reached on June 26. The agreement outlines plans for the deployment of Lebanese military forces in southern Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, along with the disarmament of Hezbollah.

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

Israel itself said its attacks targeted militants and Hezbollah infrastructure. They accused the group of hiding among civilians, and said their forces in the southern Lebanese occupation had uncovered weapons depots and tunnel networks belonging to the group.

The latest conflict began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel after a US-Israeli attack in February that triggered the Iran war.

Israel launched an air campaign and ground invasion of Lebanon, killing more than 4,000 people and causing another 1.2 million to flee. The Israeli military still occupies dozens of towns and villages in southern Lebanon.

Israel itself was among the 10 countries that rejected Türk's appointment for a second term, along with the United States and Russia, at the UN General Assembly.