The European Union joined the chorus of condemnation, while Italy and Germany called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to review the situation in Syria. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Syrian government to halt the use of force against its citizens immediately and respect their human rights. In addition to criticizing the assault, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said ‘silence on the international and Arab levels’ about the situation in Syria is only leading to the loss of more Syrian lives.