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Lebanon condemns Israeli violations, urges UN to compel Israel to abide by Security Council resolution 1701

Lebanese President Michel Aoun (R) meets with the outgoing commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Stefano Del Col, in Beirut, Lebanon, on February 24, 2022. (Photo by National News Agency)

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has denounced repeated Israeli violations of the Arab country’s sovereignty, calling on the United Nations to compel the Tel Aviv regime to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 33-day Israeli military onslaught in 2006, and respect Lebanon's territorial integrity. 

During a meeting with the outgoing commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Stefano Del Col, on Thursday, Aoun stressed that the Beirut government “is committed to maintaining calm and stability in southern Lebanon and implementing Resolution 1701.”

He highlighted that Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty are condemned by all strata of the Lebanese society, stating that the UN should exert pressure on Israel to stop such violations.

Aoun also underscored Lebanon’s full rights and sovereignty by land, sea and air, in accordance with the international law and treaties.

For his part, Del Col praised the strong relations between UNIFIL forces and local authorities in southern Lebanon.

He expressed hope that the UN Security Council would extend UNIFIL’s mandate for a period exceeding 6 months, which is stipulated in the previous relevant resolution.

“I wish Lebanon a future without international security forces, where the Lebanese nation would live in peace,” Del Col said.

Israel violates Lebanon's airspace and territorial waters on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights and incursions serve surveillance purposes.

Lebanon’s government, Hezbollah and UNIFIL have repeatedly condemned Israel’s overflights, saying they are in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the country’s sovereignty.

Back on September 30 last year, fighters from Hezbollah intercepted and shot down an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle while it was hovering over the southern part of Lebanon.

Hezbollah said in a brief statement carried by Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Manar television network that it downed an Israeli drone that had entered the Lebanese skies with “appropriate weapons."

The statement added that the Israeli aircraft was brought down as it was flying over Maryamin valley on the outskirts of the southern town of Yater.


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