Arab Council Australia unequivocally condemns Israel's indiscriminate and unlawful attacks targeting civilian populations and infrastructure in Lebanon. These actions constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
On Wednesday, 8 April 2026, Israel conducted its "largest coordinated strike" against Lebanon, hitting over 100 targets in just 10 minutes, without warning. This widespread assault has killed hundreds of civilians and wounded thousands more across Beirut, Southern Lebanon, the Eastern Bekaa Valley and other regions throughout the country. Hospitals are overwhelmed beyond capacity by the influx of the dead and the wounded. Hundreds and thousands have been displaced, many left stranded in inclement weather with nowhere safe to seek refuge. More than one million Lebanese people had already been internally displaced since the simultaneous war on Iran and Lebanon began, even before this latest assault.
Members of the Lebanese and Palestinian communities across Australia are expressing extreme outrage at the continued failure of the international community to halt Israeli military actions affecting civilian populations. Many are witnessing the destructive impact of sustained military operations on civilian areas, by Israel including reports affecting their own relatives, and are increasingly alarmed by rising civilian casualties and displacement. The psychological toll on diaspora communities watching the destruction of homes, neighbourhoods, and essential infrastructure in their countries of origin is severe and ongoing.
These attacks represent a calculated campaign that amounts to collective punishment of civilian populations and reflect the same unlawful military practices documented in Gaza, where over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Such actions constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and undermine the legal framework established to protect civilians in times of conflict.
We demand:
• The immediate cessation of all Israeli military operations against Lebanon
• Independent investigations into these war crimes by appropriate international bodies
• Full accountability for perpetrators through established international legal mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court
• The protection of civilian lives and essential infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and power facilities
• Unimpeded humanitarian access to all affected areas
World leaders, particularly the Australian Government, must take decisive action to stop the Israeli war machine and prevent further death and destruction in Lebanon and throughout the region. The time for diplomatic gestures has passed. Concrete and enforceable action is required now.