Shibaa Farms: light at the end of the tunnel but no special UN envoy on "Israel`s" implementation of 425?

Source: Daily Star, 06-4-2006
BEIRUT: With the announcement that "(occupied) Shibaa Farms are Lebanese" Lebanon witnessed the first step forward on one of its lingering national disputes, namely the identity of a 200-square-kilometer bloc of land situated between Syria, Lebanon and "Israel".
The announcement, which was touted as being based on "full unanimity and consensus," was made last month by Speaker Nabih Berri at the conclusion of the second round of a national dialogue. The dialogue, which is taking place among Lebanon`s top leaders, is an attempt to reach agreement on major "national issues."
One such issue was the identity of the (occupied) Shibaa Farms, an area located south of (occupied) Shibaa, a small Lebanese village on the western slopes of Mount Hermon. The territory has been the subject of heated debate as its identity is directly linked to Hizbullah`s existence and its weapons.
That`s all in the past now, according to analysts who called the announcement a "historical decision" that finally granted the Farms a defined identity.
"It`s the first time Lebanese politicians have agreed on [Shibaa Farms`] identity," said Shafik Masri, an international law expert. Masri contributed to a draft to be submitted by Prime Minister Fouad Saniorato the UN to request that the world body change the territory`s identity from "Syrian to Lebanese occupied lands."
The Farms are the last post held by "Israel" after its withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.
At the time, UN cartographers said Shibaa Farms fell inside Syrian territory seized by "Israel" during the 1967 war. Accordingly, the UN said that Resolution 425, which called on "Israel" to pull out of Lebanon, had been fully implemented.
But in light of the recent declaration that the (occupied) Shibaa Farms are Lebanese, "Israeli" and Lebanese officials are expecting the UN to revisit 425 and call on the Jewish (Zionist) state to withdraw from the area.
A spokesperson from the UN headquarters in New York told The Daily Star that "regardless of whether they are Syrian or Lebanese," "Israel" must withdraw from the Farms.
"The position of the UN Security Council and Secretary General Kofi Annan has been the same and persistent in demanding "Israel`s" withdrawal from all occupied lands in accordance with various UN resolutions," the spokesperson said. "We shall have to see now what "Israel" will do in light of the latest developments."
While the UN has assigned special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen to follow-up on Lebanon and Syria`s implementation of Resolution 1559, which among other items calls for the disarmament of Hizbullah, no such envoy has been assigned to ensure "Israel`s" implementation of 425.
Roed-Larsen has crisscrossed the globe since 1559 was issued in late 2004, holding top-level meetings with world leaders concerning the resolution.
The region may witness "Israel`s" response even sooner than expected, Masri explained, because in addition to a new impetus given the issue by the Lebanese announcement, "international law validates that the Farms are Lebanese and the land in question was not vacant when "Israel" occupied it."
He added: "The identity of a location is judged based on the legal status of its inhabitants, and in this case they have documents and records issued by the Lebanese government, and taxes are paid to Lebanon.
"With or without official recognition from Syria, I believe Lebanon - equipped with the united political decision and international law - should be able to convince the UN to change its mind over the long overdue mistaken identity of the Farms."
However, during a recent visit by Roed-Larsen to Lebanon, the envoy said Lebanon and Syria must cooperate to resolve a broader border "dispute" between the two countries, particularly over the disputed (occupied) Shibaa Farms area, in order for normal diplomatic relations to be resumed between the two countries.
"An agreement cannot be made by the UN. It can only be done by two sovereign states," Roed-Larsen told The Daily Star at the time.
In response, Syria`s Foreign Minister Walid Moallem criticized Roed-Larsen`s call on Syria to cooperate with Lebanon regarding their common border.
"For now, the (occupied) Shibaa Farms are neither Lebanese nor Syrian because they are occupied. If Roed-Larsen wants to do something good, he should get "Israel" to withdraw and then there would be no problem," Moallem said at the time.
"We have said that the Shibaa Farms are Lebanese," the minister added. "Roed-Larsen is the one who said that they are Syrian. Lebanon should correct his information."
Officials close to Prime Minister Fouad Saniora confirmed that he is planning a trip to Syria regarding the farms, during which he is expected to ask Syria to provide the UN with written confirmation of Lebanon`s sovereignty over the farms.
However, the question of borders wasn`t given much attention by the Lebanese government even after the 1967 and 1973 wars. It appears to have arisen only as a result of the (partial) "Israeli" withdrawal in 2000.