WASHINGTON – The UN Security Council, headed by its new Libyan president Giadalla A. Ettalhi, issued a harsh condemnation of the Katyusha rocket attack on northern Israel last Tuesday.
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| 2 Katyushas fired from Lebanon at western Galilee / Ahiya Raved |
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Fragments of two 107-mm Katyusha rockets fired toward Israel from south Lebanon overnight found in western Galilee region. No injuries or damage were reported. Unknown Islamic organization claims responsibility for attack |
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Libya's efforts to curb such a statement, claiming that the Security Council should instead denounce Israel's sorties over Lebanon, were rejected, and Ettalhi was forced to read out the statement himself.
In the last couple of days, Israel has exerted heavy diplomatic pressure on the UN in order to get the Security Council to condemn the attack. In the Council's closed sessions, the US and France have asked to be briefed by the UN's under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations on the incident, before deciding to support the condemnation.
In the statement, the Security Council mentions the strong complaint filed by Israel,
in which the country said the rocket fire constituted a violation of Resolution 1701.
The Security Council condemned the rocket launching at Israel, as well as any violation of Resolution 1701. The statement also censured the attack on UNIFIL forces on the same day, in which two Irish soldiers were wounded.
The Council further commended "the determination and commitment of the government of Lebanon to bring to justice the perpetrators of this attack.”
In the third part of the statement, the Security Council called on UNIFIL and the Lebanese government to see to the clear marking of the Israel-Lebanon border (known as the Blue Line), in order to prevent the entry of Lebanese shepherds to Israel.
Israeli defense officials are concerned that Hizbullah is using shepherds to gather intelligence on IDF's operations on the Israeli side of the border.
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