Former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri visits with UNIFIL. (Dalati Nohra via AP)
Shortly after Hezbollah led a media tour near the border, the Lebanese Prime Minister expressed his commitment to a ceasefire with Israel and to preventing anyone, except the Lebanese army, near Lebanon’s border.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri requested the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Friday to help bring an end to “continuous violations” of a ceasefire arrangement in southern Lebanon.
“I started the visit to the headquarters of the UNIFIL force in order to convey the gratitude of the Lebanese people to all the countries that take part in it,” Hariri said. “I emphasize that Lebanon is committed to Resolution 1701.”
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which effectively ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006 between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, mandated the creation of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon “free of ‘any armed personnel,’ both Hizbollah militants and Israeli troops.”
“I urge the UN secretary general to support efforts to secure, as soon as possible, a state of permanent ceasefire,” Hariri cont. “This is long overdue and my government is committed to move this agenda forward.”
Hariri’s remarks, which followed a Hezbollah-sponsored tour to media outlets a day earlier across the border with Israel, appear to contrast with the position of Lebanese President Michel Aoun who has expressed support for Hezbollah complementing Lebanon’s army.
UNIFIL released a statement condemning the apparent violation of Resolution 1701 on the part of Hezbollah, officials this past Thursday.
“Regarding reports of the presence of armed men on this tour, this is a violation of Resolution 1701,” UNIFIL stressed. “As decided, Lebanese authorities are responsible for examining the presence of unauthorized elements in the area between the Blue Line and the Litani River.”
By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News
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