Lebanon moves to file Security Council complaint over Israeli wall breach along Blue Line

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi    

Lebanon is preparing to file a complaint against Israel at the U.N. Security Council after President Joseph Aoun instructed Foreign Minister Yousef Rajji to direct Lebanon's U.N. mission in New York to take action. 

The move comes in response to Israel's construction of a concrete wall along the southern border that, according to UNIFIL, crosses the Blue Line and encroaches on Lebanese territory.

Lebanon's formal step is based on a geographic survey conducted by UNIFIL, whose findings were released in an official statement. 

The survey determined that a T-shaped concrete barrier Israel built southwest of Yaroun extends beyond the Blue Line, rendering more than 4,000 square meters of Lebanese land inaccessible, according to UNIFIL. 

The peacekeeping force notified Israel of the results and called for the wall's removal.

UNIFIL also noted in November that another section of the barrier, southeast of Yaroun, similarly crosses the Blue Line. The force plans to convey those findings to Israel as well. By contrast, a newly built wall between Aitaroun and Maroun El Ras lies south of the Blue Line, within Israeli territory.

UNIFIL said any construction on Lebanese soil constitutes a violation of Resolution 1701 and of Lebanon's sovereignty, urging Israel to withdraw from all areas north of the Blue Line. 

Israel currently occupies five points in the south—Tallet El Hamames, the El Douaouir point near Markaba, Jal El-Deir facing Aitaroun and Maroun El Ras, Jabal Blat between Ramyeh and Marwahin, and the Labbouneh hills to the west—in addition to maintaining buffer zones and imposing daily restrictions.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry is now awaiting the Lebanese Army's technical report before completing the complaint to the Security Council.