Monday, August 30, 2010

Security Council Extends Mandate of Force in Lebanon until 31 August 2011, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 1937 (2010)

Expresses Deep Concern Over 3 August Exchange of Fire between Israel, Lebanon;

Urges Work towards Permanent Ceasefire, as Envisioned in Resolution 1701 (2006)

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for one year, calling strongly on all parties to respect the Blue Line, the cessation of hostilities and relevant resolutions in the wake of recent violent incidents.

Through the unanimous adoption of resolution 1937 (2010), the Council decided to extend UNIFIL’s mandate until 31 August 2011 without amendment, noting that in doing so it was responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon and the subsequent letter of the Secretary-General (document S/2010/430).

The Council also expressed deep concern at all violations in connection with resolution 1701 (2006), which ended open hostilities, in particular the latest “grave violation” of 3 August highlighted in the Secretary-General’s letter. In that letter, the Secretary-General said that the 3 August exchange of fire in the area of El Adeisse between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces showed how quickly the relatively stable and secure environment in southern Lebanon that UNIFIL has helped to establish, in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, could change.

For that reason, the Council, in its resolution this afternoon, urged the parties to fully cooperate with the 15-member body and the Secretary-General to achieve a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution, as envisioned in resolution 1701.

It urged the Government of Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar without further delay, in coordination with UNIFIL. It reaffirmed its call to make the area between the Blue Line and the Litani River a zone free of any armed personnel and weapons except for those of UNIFIL and the Lebanese national forces, welcoming the deployment of an additional Lebanese brigade and calling for a further reinforcement and enhanced coordination with UNIFIL.

Strongly deploring recent incidents involving UNIFIL peacekeepers, it also called on the parties to abide scrupulously by their obligations to respect the safety and freedom of movement of Mission personnel.

Speaking after the adoption of the text, the representative of Lebanon, Nawaf Salam, thanked all Council members for extending UNIFIL’s mandate without amendments, as per Lebanon’s request. He praised UNIFIL’s work and welcomed its cooperation with his country towards the consolidation of its southern area, expressing gratitude for the sacrifices made by peacekeepers and troop-contributors. He reiterated his country’s strong commitment to the implementation of resolution 1701 in its entirety.

Also welcoming the adoption and committing his country to the full implementation of resolution 1701, Israel’s representative Haim Waxman said that serious challenges to peace and security threatened that resolution’s full realization. Among the most serious was the military build-up of the Hizbullah terrorist organization, with Iranian and Syrian support, in flagrant violation of that text and today’s resolution. It had built a deadly arsenal south of the Litani River in the area of UNIFIL’s operation and throughout the country, he maintained. Incidents in Khirbat Silim, Tayr Filsi and Mazraat Sarda were just the “tip of the iceberg” of that larger phenomenon.

Such build-up had been made possible by the widespread weapons transfers to Lebanon that violated the arms embargo, a key issue referred to in resolution 1701 and which should be accompanied by concrete measures on the ground, he said, adding that Hizbullah increasingly impeded UNIFIL’s freedom of movement. The Mission must use the necessary and appropriate means to carry out its mandate.

While welcoming the deployment of the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon, he maintained, however, that it must clearly differentiate itself from radical elements. He said that on 3 August Lebanese forces fired directly across the Blue Line, killing an Israeli Battalion Commander and critically wounding another senior company commander, both of whom had been standing some 140 metres south of the Blue Line, during routine Israeli work south of the Blue Line more than 90 metres within Israeli territory.

He cited preliminary findings of UNIFIL’s investigation report that found that the Lebanese Armed Forces’ opening fire, which triggered the exchange, “constitutes a serious violation of resolution 1701 and a flagrant breach of the cessation of the hostilities”. He hoped the Council would soon receive a full briefing on the matter, avowing that this type of incident must not happen again. He called on the Lebanese Forces to respect the Blue Line in its entirety. Calling the situation in southern Lebanon complex, he said UNIFIL was indispensable in promoting calm in the area, including along Israel’s northern border.

In response to that statement, Lebanon’s representative replied that Israel’s attacks in 2006 cost the life of 1,124 civilians and displace hundreds of thousands, with many still being mutilated by unexploded ordinance left over from that conflict. He cited the Secretary-General’s report in stating that Israeli warplanes continued to violate resolution 1701 almost daily, and said Israel also violated Lebanese territory on land and sea, as well as occupying Ghajar and Sheba Farms, deploying spies and making belligerent statements. He asked if this was how Israel was implementing the resolution.

Lebanon had deplored the July incidents and considered the 3 August exchange of fire a grave incident which showed the need to better mark the Blue Line, increase coordination with UNIFIL and avoid any provocation, such as the daily violations of his country’s sovereignty. He reiterated his thanks to the Council for its renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate.

The meeting, which began at 3:18 p.m., adjourned at 3:35 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1937 (2010) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 1559 (2004), 1680 (2006), 1701 (2006), 1773 (2007), 1832 (2008) and 1884 (2009) as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon,

“Responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a new period of one year without amendment presented in a letter from the Lebanese Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General of 20 July 2010 and welcoming the letter from the Secretary-General to its President of 11 August 2010 (S/2010/430) recommending this extension,

“Reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006), and aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution,

“Calling upon all concerned parties to strengthen their efforts to implement all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006),

“Expressing deep concern at all violations in connection with resolution 1701 (2006), in particular the latest grave violation of 3 August 2010 highlighted in the Secretary-General’s letter of 11 August 2010 and looking forward to the rapid finalization of UNIFIL’s investigation with a view to preventing such incidents in the future,

“Emphasizing the importance of full compliance with the prohibition on sales and supply of arms and related materiel established by resolution 1701,

“Recalling the utmost importance that all parties concerned respect the Blue Line in its entirety and encouraging the parties to accelerate their efforts in coordination with UNIFIL to visibly mark the Blue Line,

“Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel,

“Commending the active role and dedication of the personnel of UNIFIL, notably of its Commander, and expressing its strong appreciation to Member States that contribute to UNIFIL and underlining the necessity that UNIFIL have at its disposal all necessary means and equipment to carry out its mandate,

“Recalling the request from the Government of Lebanon to deploy an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory and reaffirming UNIFIL’s authority to take all necessary action in areas of operations of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind and to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its mandate,

“Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping operations, including UNIFIL, under close review and stressing the need for the Council to pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to peacekeeping deployments,

“Calling upon member States to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces as needed to enable it to perform its duties in line with resolution 1701,

“Determining that the situation in Lebanon continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,

“1. Decides to extend the present mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2011;

“2. Commends the positive role of UNIFIL, whose deployment together with the Lebanese Armed Forces has helped to establish a new strategic environment in southern Lebanon, welcomes the expansion of coordinated activities between UNIFIL and the Lebanese armed forces and calls on further enhancement of this cooperation;

“3. Welcomes the deployment of an additional brigade of the Lebanese armed forces on 1 August 2010 and calls on the Government of Lebanon to further increase the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed in Southern Lebanon, consistent with resolution 1701 (2006);

“4. Strongly calls upon all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities, to prevent any violation of the Blue line and to respect it in its entirety and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and UNIFIL;

“5. Deplores strongly the recent incidents involving UNIFIL peacekeepers, emphasizes the importance of not impairing the ability of UNIFIL to fulfil its mandate under Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and calls on all parties to abide scrupulously by their obligation to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel and to ensure that the freedom of movement of UNIFIL is fully respected, in conformity with its mandate and its rules of engagement;

“6. Urges all parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary-General to make tangible progress towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in resolution 1701 (2006), and emphasizes that more work remains to be done by the parties to advance the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006);

“7. Urges the Government of Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar without further delay in coordination with UNIFIL, which has actively engaged Israel and Lebanon to facilitate such a withdrawal;

“8. Reaffirms its call for the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani River of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL;

“9. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNIFIL to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts are properly investigated and punished in cases involving their personnel;

“10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), every four months, or at any time as he deems appropriate;

“11. Welcomes the conclusions of the Joint DPKO-UNIFIL Technical Review presented in the letter from the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council dated 12 February 2010 (S/2010/86) and calls for their rapid implementation;

“12. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003, and 1850 (2008) of 16 December 2008;

“13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN FORCE IN LEBANON‏

New York, Aug 30 2010 6:10PM The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL for another year, saying its presence there, as well as that of the Lebanese armed forces, is helping to promote stability in the south of the Middle Eastern country.
In a unanimous resolution, the Council said it had determined that “the situation in Lebanon continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security” and had therefore decided to extend UNIFIL’s mandate until 31 August 2011.
The Council strongly urged all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities, to prevent any violation of the so-called Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel, and to cooperate fully with the UN and UNIFIL.
It also urged the Israeli Government to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar, a village that straddles the Blue Line, without further delay in coordination with UNIFIL, which, the Council said, has actively engaged Israel and Lebanon to facilitate the withdrawal.
The Council also reaffirmed its call for the establishment, between the Blue Line and the Litani River, of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons except those of the Lebanese Government and UNIFIL.
It strongly deplored the recent incidents involving UN peacekeepers, emphasized the importance of not impairing the ability of the mission to fulfil its mandate, and called on all parties to abide by their obligation to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other UN personnel.
UNIFIL was originally created by the Security Council in March 1978 to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in re-establishing effective authority in the area. The mandate had to be adjusted twice due to developments in 1982 and 2000.
Following the 2006 conflict, the Council enhanced UNIFIL and decided that in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other matters, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilians and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons.

Lebanon: UN envoy holds talks with Prime Minister

30 August 2010 – The top United Nations envoy to Lebanon has met with that country’s Prime Minister as part of his continuing efforts to promote stability and dialogue in the Middle Eastern nation.
During what he described as “a very good meeting” on Saturday with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said they discussed developments in Lebanon and the region and the situation in the country’s south and along the Blue Line, as well as the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.

Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizbollah, calls for respect of the so-called Blue Line separating the Israeli and Lebanese sides, the disarming of all militias operating in Lebanon, and an end to arms smuggling in the area.

In a statement issued by his office, Mr. Williams welcomed the return of calm to the south following the deadly border clashes at Al-Adaysseh on 3 August, as well as the commitments of both parties to the cessation of hostilities.

“Since this incident, there have been two meetings of the tripartite group in Naqoura, one of which I attended myself on 4 August, and there will be another meeting next week, I believe on 2 September,” he said.

“All sides I think now have to work very hard to prevent a recurrence of any incident like that of 3 August, which could lead to a deterioration of the situation. But I believe at the moment we have returned to relative normality.”

Mr. Williams said they had also discussed some recent developments in Lebanon, and in Beirut in particular, and he expressed his condolences to the Prime Minister about the lives that were lost in Bourj Abi-Haidar last Tuesday evening.

He was referring to armed clashes last week between Shi’a and Sunni Muslim groups in the capital, Beirut, in which three people were reportedly killed.

“I commended the Prime Minister and his Government for the actions they have taken in the wake of that serious incident to contain any further outbreaks of violence, and to address the issue of firearms in the city of Beirut,” Mr. Williams said.

“I also commended the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces in working hard to maintain security and stability in Lebanon and underlined the importance of Lebanon’s institutions in maintaining calm and stability at this moment.”

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

UN MISSION DONATES VEHICLES TO LEBANESE MILITARY

New York, Aug 25 2010 The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL today handed 39 vehicles to the Lebanese armed forces in an effort to boost their capacity to improve security in the south of the country.

Today’s delivery of the vehicles to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) at a ceremony at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura follows the donation of 24 cars in April.

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas stressed that conditions on the ground have significantly improved and that cooperation between UNIFIL and LAF has become a “central cornerstone in the implementation of our mandated tasks.”

“Our activities could not be implemented without the cooperation of the Lebanese Army, which has demonstrated – time and again – its professionalism and commitment to UN Security Council resolution 1701 working in close partnership with UNIFIL troops,” Maj-Gen Asarta said at the ceremony, which was also attended by Brigadier-General Louis Hanna and Brigadier-General Khalil Msan, LAF commanders in the south Litani area.

“Ultimately, UNIFIL’s exit strategy is linked to the ability of the Lebanese Army to sustainably ensure stability in southern Lebanon,” Maj-Gen. Asarta added.

Brig-Gen Hanna relayed LAF Commander General Jean Kahwaji’s “deepest feelings of gratitude and appreciation” to the UNIFIL command donation, which he said is “a clear expression of the ties of cooperation and coordination” between UNIFIL and LAF.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon requests additional information & evidence held by the Secretary General of Hezbollah

Leidschendam, 24 August 2010 – Following a press conference held on 9 August 2010 by the Secretary General of Hezbollah, the Office of the Prosecutor requested the Lebanese authorities to provide all the relevant information and documentary evidence that the Secretary General of Hezbollah possesses or to which he has access. This request specifically referred to the video material that had been shown during the press conference and to any other material that would assist the Office of the Prosecutor in unveiling the truth.

In response to the request of the Office of the Prosecutor, on 17 August 2010, Hezbollah officials hand-delivered to the Prosecutor General of Lebanon an envelope containing six DVDs. This material was handed over to the Office of the Prosecutor on the same day.

The Office of the Prosecutor has begun its review of the material. The preliminary assessment of the DVDs has determined that the response is incomplete since the material that was handed over is limited to the material shown during the 9 August 2010 press conference and does not contain “the rest of the evidence” that Mr. Hassan Nasrallah referred to in his press conference.

The information received will be thoroughly assessed. This can properly be done only if it is based on a complete record. This is why the Office of the Prosecutor has requested the Lebanese authorities to provide the remaining material to which the Secretary General of Hezbollah referred to in his press conference of 9 August 2010 without delay.

In the meantime, with diligence and applying the highest standards of international justice, the Office of the Prosecutor is continuing its investigation. The Prosecutor will determine when and against whom an indictment will be submitted to the Pre-Trial Judge for confirmation. However, no indictment will be issued until the Prosecutor is satisfied that, in light of all the circumstances, it is based on solid and convincing evidence.

Monday, August 23, 2010

LEBANON: UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH GOVERNMENT MINISTER

New York, Aug 23 2010 The top United Nations envoy to Lebanon met today with a senior Government minister as he continues his efforts to promote stability and dialogue within the Middle East country. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams held talks with Lebanese Interior Minister Ziad Baroud on a range of issues, including regional developments, the domestic situation in Lebanon, and progress on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizbollah. Resolution 1701 calls for respect of the so-called Blue Line separating the Israeli and Lebanese sides, the disarming of all militias operating in Lebanon, and an end to arms smuggling in the area. In a statement issued by his office, Mr. Williams welcomed the calls by Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri for continued calm and stability, and particularly during the last session of the National Dialogue process. He commended, in particular, the contributions by Mr. Baroud and the Interior Ministry to the overall security and stability that currently prevail in the country. “In our meeting today, I also welcomed the recent measures taken by Parliament, under the leadership of Speaker [Nabih] Berri, to ratify the Oslo Convention on cluster munitions, as well as legislation related to the civil rights of Palestinians, and to legislation with regard to possible oil and gas deposits,” Mr. Williams added. “I strongly believe that in Lebanon, as in all countries, institutions are vitally important; and it has been quite impressive in recent weeks to see the work of the institutions, of the Presidency, of the Prime Minister’s office, of the Ministry of Interior, of the National Dialogue process, working in harmony to reduce tensions and to sustain calm and stability in the country,” he said.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

ISRAEL AND LEBANON WILLING TO SPEED UP PROCESS OF VISIBLY MARKING BLUE LINE

UN New York, Aug 18 2010 Lebanon and Israel have voiced interest in accelerating the process of marking the so-called Blue Line separating the two countries, the military head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the region reported today. Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL, held a tripartite meeting tonight with senior Israeli and Lebanese military representatives at the UN position at the Ras Al Naqoura crossing. The tripartite meeting was held as part of efforts to ensure that the Blue Line, as identified by the UN in 2000, is fully respected in its entirety. An exchange of fire between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on 3 August reportedly led to the deaths of at least four people. The incident was triggered by Israel’s announcement of its intention to cut down a tree in the proximity of the Blue Line. UNIFIL said in a statement that the tree is located south of the line on the Israeli side. Major-General Asarta described tonight’s meeting as constructive. “The process of visibly marking the Blue Line on the ground is an important endeavour which would reduce tension and the possibility of inadvertent violations,” he said. “The parties have expressed to me their strong interest in speeding up this process. “I believe that the deliberations will have a positive impact on the speed and accuracy of the technical work UNIFIL is doing with the parties on the ground to visibly mark the Blue Line.” The Force Commander added that he had received assurances from both sides that they wanted to continue working closely with UNIFIL to maintain calm in the area. “No one is interested in an escalation. All parties must strive to maintain the cessation of hostilities.”

Lebanon: UN official welcomes move to ratify ban on cluster munitions

18 August 2010 – The top United Nations official in Lebanon today welcomed the decision of the country’s Parliament to approve the ratification of the international convention prohibiting the manufacture, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions.
Michael Williams, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, described yesterday’s decision by Parliament as “a very important signal of Lebanon’s commitment to international law and will reinforce the international will to ban these deadly devices.”
The treaty entered into force at the start of this month, just after two years after the so-called Oslo Convention was first adopted by 107 countries.
Lebanon – whose territory is still marked by cluster munitions – becomes one of 39 States which have ratified the convention, while another 108 countries have signed it.
Billions of cluster munitions are believed to exist around the world and many have been used in recent conflicts, killing or maiming countless civilians.
First used in the Second World War, cluster munitions contain dozens of smaller explosives designed to disperse over an area the size of several football fields, but often fail to detonate upon impact, creating large de facto minefields.
The failure rate makes these weapons particularly dangerous for civilians, who continue to be maimed or killed for years after conflicts end. Some 98 per cent of victims are civilians and cluster bombs have claimed over 10,000 civilian lives, 40 per cent of whom are children.
Recovery from conflict is also hampered because the munitions place roads and lands off-limits to farmers and aid workers.
In his message today Mr. Williams called on international donors to step up assistance to Lebanese mine action projects to clear the country of the remaining cluster bombs on its territory.

Senior UN military official meets top politicians in Lebanon

16 August 2010 – The top United Nations military official in Lebanon today held talks with senior politicians in the country today, underscoring the need for continued close coordination between the world body’s peacekeeping mission and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), met in separate meetings today in the capital, Beirut, with Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

The talks centred on the security situation in south Lebanon and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah and calls for Israel to withdraw its forces from the northern part of the village of Ghajar.

The meetings also focused on the deadly skirmish earlier this month, which reportedly claimed at least four lives, along the so-called Blue Line, which separates Israel and Lebanon.

The incident was triggered by Israel’s announcement of its intention to cut down a tree in the proximity of the Blue Line. UNIFIL later confirmed that the tree was located south of the line on the Israeli side.

“This tragic incident must remain isolated,” Major-General Asarta stressed.

“I have received assurances from all the parties that they want to defuse the tension and continue working closely with UNIFIL to restore and maintain calm in the area,” he added. “No one is interested in an escalation.”

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon seeks Information held by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah

Press Release No.2010/004
Leidschendam, 11 August 2010: Away from the spotlight, the Office of the Prosecutor is pursuing its investigation according to the highest standards of international justice, in a neutral and objective way. The Office of the Prosecutor is led by the evidence and nothing else.

On 9 August 2010, during a Press Conference, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Mr. Hassan Nasrallah, offered information to assist the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The Office of the Prosecutor has been given the mandate to identify and prosecute those responsible for the attack. It has sole responsibility for the investigation and acts independently. Nobody can influence its direction. As such, it must pursue all possible leads. “I invite anyone who has relevant information to submit it to my office. Indeed, I welcome any information that can bring us closer to the truth. I can assure those who bring this information that it will be thoroughly assessed”, said the Prosecutor.

In line with its mandate, the Office of the Prosecutor has requested the Lebanese authorities to provide all the information in possession of Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. This request includes the video material that was shown on television during the press conference, as well any other material that would be of assistance to the Office of the Prosecutor in unveiling the truth.

The Office of the Prosecutor also invites Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah to use his authority to facilitate its investigation.

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

UN steps in to defuse tensions on Israeli-Lebanese border

4 August 2010 – The United Nations has brought representatives of Israel and Lebanon together, a day after a deadly skirmish along the so-called Blue Line separating the two countries, to prevent similar violence erupting in the future.
Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), convened an extraordinary tripartite meeting this evening with senior representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

The talks at the UN position at the Ras Al Naqoura crossing in southern Lebanon follow yesterday’s exchange of fire between the two forces across the Blue Line at El Adeisse, which reportedly claimed at least four lives.

The incident was triggered by Israel’s announcement of its intention to cut down a tree in the proximity of the Blue Line. UNIFIL, which is investigating the incident, said in a statement issued today that the trees are located south of the line on the Israeli side.

“The exchange of fire started although we did our best to prevent it,” Alain Le Roy, the top UN peacekeeping official, told reporters in New York, stressing that UNIFIL helped to mitigate the violence, which lasted some 30 minutes, negotiating a ceasefire to end the fighting.

Yesterday’s incident, he said, was the “most serious” incident since 2006, when resolution 1701, which ended the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah and calls for respecting the Blue Line, was adopted.

Mr. Le Roy, who serves as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, called the existence of the tripartite mechanism bringing together UNIFIL, Israel and Lebanon an “important achievement.”

He said that he is very glad that the two sides accepted the UN’s proposal for an urgent tripartite meeting.

“UNIFIL expects the parties will address the issues in a constructive way and renew their commitment, as a matter of priority, to the cessation of hostilities as well as fully utilize the liaison and coordination mechanism with UNIFIL with a view to ensuring that incidents of violence are avoided in the future,” Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the mission, said in a statement regarding today’s tripartite talks.

Both Lebanon and Israel had some reservations regarding the Blue Line in this area when it was demarcated in 2000 as the line of withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, UNIFIL noted in a press statement.

“However, both Lebanon and Israel confirmed to the UN Secretary-General that, notwithstanding their reservations, identifying the line was solely the responsibility of the United Nations and that they will respect the line as identified,” it added. “The UN position is that the Blue Line must be respected in its entirety by all parties.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement yesterday, urging “the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to work with UNIFIL and the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon in taking steps to consolidate the calm now restored in the area.”

Security Council members also voiced concern yesterday and called for maximum restraint and for greater cooperation with UNIFIL.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

UN urges restraint after exchange of fire along Israeli-Lebanese border

3 August 2010 – The United Nations has urged Israel and Lebanon to exercise maximum restraint after an exchange of fire today along the so-called Blue Line separating the two countries.
Peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are in the area of El Adeisse and are trying to ascertain the circumstances of the incident and any possible casualties, the spokesperson for the mission said.

“UNIFIL’s immediate priority is to consolidate the calm and we are urging both parties to exercise maximum restraint,” said Neeraj Singh.

Media reports say that at least three Lebanese soldiers and a journalist were killed in the incident.

The Acting Force Commander of UNIFIL, Brigadier General Santi Bonfanti, is in contact with the command of both the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).

Gen. Bonfanti, who flew by helicopter to El Adeisse, reported that the situation is presently quiet, the mission added.

Respect for the Blue Line is one of the key provisions of Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the conflict that erupted in 2006 between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah.

Council members later expressed deep concern about today’s incident and urged all sides to exercise the “utmost restraint.”

Speaking on behalf of the 15-member panel, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency this month, said it was critical that Israel and Lebanon respect the Blue Line and observe a cessation of hostilities.