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UN says Israel must withdraw from northern part of occupied village in Lebanon

Xinhua, April 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

A United Nations official said Wednesday that Israel is obligated to withdraw from the northern section of the occupied village of Ghajar and areas adjacent to the Blue Line in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701.

"Its presence in the area violates resolution 1701," United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Maj. Gen. Luciano Portolano said in an interview with Assafir daily. The matter is "nonnegotiable as the territory is Lebanese," Portolano was quoted as saying.

Resolution 1701 was adopted by the UN Security Council in 2006 and halted all "the military operations" between Israel and Hezbollah following a 33-day devastating war in July of that year.

The resolution marked the borders between the two countries through what has been called the "Blue Line," though it is not the official demarcation of the borders.

It also imposed a strict embargo on weapons destined for Lebanese or foreign militias in south Lebanon, and pressed Israel to end violations of Lebanon's airspace and to withdraw from the northern part of the occupied village of Ghajar.

"We have been firm in discussing the issue during all our bilateral and tripartite meetings with Israel," Portolano said.

High ranking officials from the Lebanese and Israeli armies meet regularly under the patronage of the UNIFL at the Naqoura crossing point on the borders.

The UNIFIL commander said that his peacekeeping forces "offered all the necessary facilitation to guarantee Israel's withdrawal from the area," but Israel did not respond to any of the demands. Endit