Recent Israeli allegations disturb Lebanon UNIFIL relationships: MoFA

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The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants instructed Lebanon's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York to respond to the allegations contained in two letters addressed by the Israeli delegate to the President of the Security Council aimed at disturbing Lebanon's relationship with UNIFIL and the Security Council.

According to the Ministry, this disturbs the "positive atmosphere" and stability created by the understanding of the demarcation of maritime borders.

The Ministry reaffirmed that the two main parties directly involved in the unfortunate incident of Al-Aqbieh, Ireland and the United Nations, have previously expressed their appreciation for the cooperation of the Lebanese authorities with both UNIFIL and the Irish authorities and the swift judicial action of the Lebanese authorities to investigate this incident, to hold those responsible accountable.

Lebanon's MoFA warned that the Israeli allegations in the two letters aim to cover up its repeated and daily air, land, and sea violations of Resolution 1701 and Lebanese sovereignty.

"The Israelis also aim, through the two letters, to divert attention from their breaches in the urban expansion of the village of Ghajar on the outskirts of the town of Al-Mari, and to try to annex it by force after they occupied it in 2006," said the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In this matter, the Ministry renewed its keenness to enable UNIFIL to carry out its tasks and to ensure the safety of its personnel, warning of the danger of exploiting the unfortunate incident to distort the Lebanese relationship with UNIFIL, its appreciation for its role, and its adherence to its presence, mission, security, and stability in the south, reaffirming the total commitment to resolution 1701 with all its provisions and all relevant international resolutions.