United Nations: UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix called the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel “fragile” and urged the Israeli army to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
“The cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, though fragile, remains intact,” Lacroix told the Security Council.
Noting the Lebanese government’s commitment to uphold the ceasefire agreements, he pledged support for both sides of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
“The deployment of more LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) is dependent on the early withdrawal of the IDF (Israeli Army),” he said.
Welcoming a report compiled for the planned withdrawal of the Israeli army and the LAF deployment, Lacroix said: “By the end of the 60-day period specified for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, 10 By the day, however, Israeli demolition of tunnels, buildings and agricultural land continues.
“Some airstrikes have also been reported, as have continued violations of Lebanese airspace,” he said. He added that the continued presence of the Israeli army is a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war in Lebanon.
He urged the army to “withdraw from Lebanese territory without delay, certainly by the end of the period envisaged in the declaration of cessation of hostilities.”
Lacroix added that because of attacks by the Israeli army, UN personnel remain at UNIFIL bases or are taking shelter in bunkers.
“UNIFIL’s operational activities are further limited by the presence of unexploded ordnance, IDF roadblocks at various points in the area of operations, and interference by local people,” he said.
Patrick Gauchat, head of the United Nations Truce Monitoring Organization (UNTSO), also reported Israeli presence in the disengagement zone.
“The IDF continued construction work inside the separation zone with heavy equipment. They also installed communication equipment inside the zone,” he said.
The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) warned Israel of violations of the 1974 Power Agreement with its presence in the disengagement zone, the UNTSO chief said.
“Some residents (in the secession area) have also protested IDF searches in their villages, with some reporting the arrest of their relatives,” he said.
Stressing that the disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria is valid, Gauchat said: “It is important that UN peacekeepers are allowed to carry out their duty unhindered.”
Since Syrian opposition groups toppled Bashar al-Assad on December 8, Israel has stepped up its airstrikes across Syria, violating the country’s sovereignty.
Israel has unilaterally terminated a 1974 agreement with Syria, deploying forces in a demilitarized buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights. The United Nations and many Arab countries have condemned this move.
Although Israel claims its presence is temporary, officials have signaled the need to maintain influence in Syria for the foreseeable future.
