Will they stay or go?
Photo: Reuters
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman
Photo: Reuters
UN extends UNIFIL mandate
But meanwhile Israel, Lebanon both blame other side of failing to abide by Security Council’s resolution ending Second Lebanon War
The United Nations’ Security Council voted on Wednesday evening to extend the mandate of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon,
which was to expire at the end of the month.
This the meeting was mostly a technical discussion, Israeli representative utilized the opportunity to note that Resolution 1701, which brought the Second Lebanon War to an end, is not being fully implemented.
UN Resolution
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Israeli Ambassador to the UN Daniel Carmon said, “It has been over two years since the adoption of Resolution 1701 and the situation in Lebanon appears to be one of ongoing concern. Today, more than ever, we are witnessing challenges to UNIFIL’s activity and mandate.”
He also said, “Instead of encouraging one of the main elements of Resolution 1701 - the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon - the new guidelines, in effect, are backing Hizbullah’s actions. For us, this is a major concern,” said Carmon
In the meantime, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman criticized Israel which he believes is posing a threat to his country.
“Israel doesn’t have the right to place a threat on Lebanon,” he said in a meeting he conducted with an American delegation and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
According to Suleiman, the threats sounded by Israel have increased as of late. “Israel does not have the right to make these kinds of threats, especially when Lebanon is honoring Resolution 1701. Oppositely, Israel is systematically violating this decision,” he said.
The Lebanese official also emphasized that “Israel does not have the right to use different excuses in order to utilize these kinds of threats, while it violates Resolution 1701.”
Suleiman said that there is a chance that Israel will switch from threats to actions.
During his meeting, Suleiman referred to the growing ties between Lebanon and Syria especially in light of a meeting he recently held with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Suleiman said to his guests that the international community needs to be open regarding Syria just as France was, since Damascus has a major role in the region.
Simultaneously, the French media reported that President Nicolas Sarkozy will arrive in Lebanon for a meeting next week.
This is the first meeting the French president has conducted there in four years, since his predecessor Jacques Chirac banned President Assad as a result of the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Roee Nahmias contributed to this report
