President Michel Aoun said Monday that Lebanon sought stability in the south, but was ready to defend itself if attacked by Israel, in a meeting with the top U.N. peacekeeper Monday at the presidential palace in Baabda.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix over the weekend made his first visit to U.N. peacekeeping forces in south Lebanon since taking up his position last April.
Aoun pointed Lacroix to Israel's near-daily violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, in addition to Israel’s use of Lebanese airspace to bomb Syria on multiple occasions, according to the president's official Twitter account.
After the meet, local media reported that Lacroix reaffirmed the U.N.’s role as a vehicle for communication and dialogue between Lebanon and Israel through the regular tripartite meetings that are mediated by UNIFIL.
Lacroix reportedly said the meetings calmed tensions, “especially in the issue of the construction of the wall,” in reference to the concrete border wall that Israel started building recently, leading to increased tension at the border.
“The commander of the international forces plays a role in calming tensions and preventing any incidents that could lead to the deterioration of the situation,” he was quoted as saying.
Lacroix also reportedly said the forces, known as UNIFIL, cooperated well with Lebanese authorities.
His visit comes after a colorful report in Le Journal du Dimanch contained allegations that the Lebanese Army was failing to cooperate well with UNIFIL, adversely impacting their ability to fulfill their duties in south Lebanon.
An unidentified French captain with the French contingent was quoted as saying, “in the evening we never leave the barracks because the Lebanese forces are not friendly.”
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This article has been adapted from its original source.
