| 24 Nov 2009 |
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UNIFIL 'not notified' on reported Ghajar withdrawal
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24 November 2009
BEIRUT: The United Nations interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Sunday it has yet to be notified by the Israeli government of its plan to withdraw from the northern section of the occupied border village of Ghajar.
Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Monday that the Israeli government had plans to withdraw from the northern occupied part of Ghajar.
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone that entered Lebanese airspace on Saturday was confronted by anti-aircraft guns, according to a military statement released over the weekend.
“A surveillance drone of the Israeli enemy” overflew “the [southern village] of Bint Jbeil at medium altitude,” on Saturday morning, the statement said.
“Army anti-aircraft batteries opened fire on the drone, forcing it to gain altitude before leaving Lebanese airspace.”
The artillery fire came less than 24 hours before Lebanon celebrated the 66th anniversary of its independence with displays of military prowess and aerial capability in front of dignitaries in Beirut.
It marks the latest security flare-up across the UN-demarcated Blue Line – the boundary of Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon – in recent months following exchanges of rocket fire in September and November and a volley of insults and threats emanating from Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Lebanon has long held that Israel violates its sovereignty with near-daily over flights into Lebanese airspace in maneuvers met with condemnation from the international community.
Speaking previously on the issue, UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, said that Lebanon’s position of being continually monitored by Israel was unacceptable.
“To the best of my knowledge, there’s probably no other country in the world – probably, I may be wrong – which is subject to such an intrusive regime of aerial surveillance,” Williams said this month.
Also on Saturday, General Jean Kahwaji, head of the Lebanese Army, urged Lebanon to adopt a position of “greater vigilance” along the Blue Line, “to counter the planned attacks by the Israeli enemy against the homeland.”
In an interview published over the weekend in pan-Arab weekly Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Kahwaji said that more effort was needed from within Lebanon in order to curb Israeli violations of Resolution 1701 .
He warned LAF soldiers “to be more aware when travelling along the border” with Israel and to continue confronting Israeli violations by air, land and sea.
Kahwaji emphasized importance of the LAF continuing to cooperate with UNIFIL.
“[Lebanon] must continue to work with UNIFIL forces in order to guard UN Resolution 1701,” he was quoted as saying on Saturday.
Resolution 1701 was drafted to end the 2006 July-August war between Lebanon and Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians.
Resolution 1701 provides that Lebanon’s sovereign borders over land, sea and air must be respected.
“Lebanon will continue to work to free the land that is still under Israeli occupation including the Shebaa Farms and part of the village of Ghajar,” Kahwaji added.
Israeli media reported on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was considering withdrawing troops from the northern part of Ghajar.
Senior Cabinet ministers, led by Netanyahu, will hold a vote on Wednesday which could see Israeli presence in the village replaced by UNIFIL troops, according to Haaretz.
“We do not have any official notification from the Israeli government on the matter, although we have seen media reports in this regard today,” said a UNIFIL statement issued on Monday.
“This is a long-standing matter and our position is very clear that Israel is obliged to withdraw from northern Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701.”
UNIFIL’s statement added that it hoped both sides would concur on Israeli withdrawal, concluding that an agreement over the fate of the village “would greatly contribute to confidence building in the area.”
“We are in contact [with Israel] and hope for a speedy solution on the basis of UNIFIL’s proposal that was submitted to the parties in order to facilitate [Israeli army] withdrawal from the area,” the statement said. – With AFP
© Copyright The Daily Star 2009.
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