Investigations revealed "Israeli" kidnapping operation took place inside Lebanon
Source: AFP, 09-01-2008
BEIRUT: Lebanon is to complain to the United Nations Security Council, accusing "Israel" of kidnapping a shepherd from inside Lebanese territory, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday. "(unconstitutional) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora asked the concerned authorities at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry and at Lebanon's delegation to the United Nations to lodge a complaint with the Security Council against 'Israel'," it said in a statement.
The statement said the complaint came after "the kidnapping of Lebanese citizen Fadi Abdel-Aal from the region of Halta," a border area in Southeast Lebanon.
"Investigations have revealed that the kidnapping took place from inside Lebanese territory," it said.
Lebanon says the area belongs to it, but UN cartographers say it is a part of the Syrian Golan Heights, which "Israel" has occupied since 1967.
On Monday, the "Israeli" Army claimed it had detained a man inside "Israel" after he crossed the border with Lebanon. He was released hours later.
A Lebanese security source told AFP that the "Israeli" soldiers had "made an incursion of 100 meters into Lebanese territory to abduct the man.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping force deployed in Southern Lebanon, said it had been informed of the incident by the "Israeli" military, and was investigating.
"Israeli" forces have in the past seized Lebanese shepherds along the border and taken them for questioning over possible links with Hizbullah militants. They are usually released after being questioned.
UNIFIL is tasked with monitoring the cease-fire between Lebanon and "Israeli" forces following a 34-day war in July-August 2006 in which more than 1,200 Lebanese were killed, mostly civilians.
BEIRUT: Lebanon is to complain to the United Nations Security Council, accusing "Israel" of kidnapping a shepherd from inside Lebanese territory, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday. "(unconstitutional) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora asked the concerned authorities at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry and at Lebanon's delegation to the United Nations to lodge a complaint with the Security Council against 'Israel'," it said in a statement.
The statement said the complaint came after "the kidnapping of Lebanese citizen Fadi Abdel-Aal from the region of Halta," a border area in Southeast Lebanon.
"Investigations have revealed that the kidnapping took place from inside Lebanese territory," it said.
Lebanon says the area belongs to it, but UN cartographers say it is a part of the Syrian Golan Heights, which "Israel" has occupied since 1967.
On Monday, the "Israeli" Army claimed it had detained a man inside "Israel" after he crossed the border with Lebanon. He was released hours later.
A Lebanese security source told AFP that the "Israeli" soldiers had "made an incursion of 100 meters into Lebanese territory to abduct the man.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping force deployed in Southern Lebanon, said it had been informed of the incident by the "Israeli" military, and was investigating.
"Israeli" forces have in the past seized Lebanese shepherds along the border and taken them for questioning over possible links with Hizbullah militants. They are usually released after being questioned.
UNIFIL is tasked with monitoring the cease-fire between Lebanon and "Israeli" forces following a 34-day war in July-August 2006 in which more than 1,200 Lebanese were killed, mostly civilians.
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