UNITED NATIONS - Recent weeks have witnessed a sharp rise in tensions between Lebanon and Israel, and achieving a ceasefire must be "an overarching priority," said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), on Thursday.

In remarks at the Security Council briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli situation, Fu said that a few hours ago, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked positions of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and an observation tower, causing injuries to UNIFIL personnel.

"China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation," he said.

Fu noted that UNIFIL carries out its peacekeeping tasks under the mandate from the Security Council resolution, and any deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a severe violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701. "Such acts must stop immediately," Fu said.

"We demand that these attacks be investigated and those responsible be held to account," the ambassador said, adding that measures must be taken to prevent any re-occurrence and all parties to the conflict must effectively guarantee the safety and security of all UN personnel and assets, including UNIFIL.

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Underscoring that the Middle East cannot afford a full-scale war, Fu said, "The conflict cannot continue to expand." He called on all parties to keep in mind the interest of maintaining regional peace and stability, deal with the current situation in a calm, rational and responsible manner, and make sincere efforts towards breaking the cycle of violence.

He noted that all parties in Lebanon have already made a unanimous call for an immediate ceasefire, and the Arab League has issued an explicit appeal.

"It is clear who holds the key to ending this crisis," said the envoy, urging Israel to set aside its obsession with the use of force, make the right political decision, stop violating Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity and end its reckless behavior that could drag the region into a new catastrophe.

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Noting "there is no time to lose for the Council to act," Fu said the vast majority of the Security Council members have long since reached a broad consensus on de-escalating the conflict, achieving a ceasefire, stopping the violence, and seeking a diplomatic solution.

"We urge a certain country to stop its passive procrastination, cover-up and connivance. Instead, it should act responsibly and play a constructive role in order to prevent a further destabilization of the situation," he said.