“Israel” scoffs at UNIFIL calls to withdraw from Ghajar
Source: Daily Star, 31-03-2008
NAQOURA: Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Claudio Graziano said on Sunday that 'Israel's' ongoing occupation of parts of the border town of Ghajar was a violation to UN Resolution 1701. "‘Israel' still occupies the northern part of the town of Ghajar and this goes against UN Security Council Resolution 1701," Graziano said.
'Israel' has rejected a UNIFIL suggestion aimed at organizing the responsibility over the security of the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese-'Israeli'(Palestinian) border, Haaretz newspaper reported on Sunday
'Israeli' Army radio said had expressed its readiness to handle the security responsibility of the village in addition to ensuring civil services to villagers.
"‘Israel' said its agreement is pending the Lebanese government's written approval in this regard," it said.
Since its withdrawal from South of Lebanon in 2006, 'Israel' had been controlling the northern part of Ghajar village.
In its official response, 'Israel' said the issue was not relevant at this stage, as Lebanon rejected a similar deal a year ago. In March 2007, 'Israel's' security cabinet authorized an agreement under which the 'Israel' military would withdraw from the northern section of Ghajar; its positions would be taken over by UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, which would provide security.
According to the 'Israeli' proposal, 'Israel' would continue to provide services to the village's civilian population.
The Lebanese government rejected the agreement and did not implement it.
Senior officials in 'Israel' have since required as a precondition that any future discussion on the matter be accompanied by a signed, official agreement by the Lebanese government.
Senior political sources in Occupied Jerusalem (al-Quds) said "there was no intention to discuss the Ghajar issue as long as issues that trouble ‘Israel' are not being dealt with."
As such, in addition to the official 'Israeli' response on the UN proposal on Ghajar, a list of reasons for 'Israel's' opposition to the new offer were included.
According to Haaretz, among the military reasons for 'Israel's' rejection of the offer was that the 'Israeli' military considered Ghajar to be a significant weak point in defenses along the northern border. In addition, the military considered Ghajar to be strategically important from an intelligence-gathering standpoint and its ability to foil Hizbullah attacks, particularly attempts to carry out abductions, according to the report in Haaretz.
In other UNIFIL-related developments, a French UN vehicle traveling from Beirut to a military base in the South overturned on the highway lightly injuring four French soldiers, highway in Rmeileh, 30 kilometers south of Beirut.
NAQOURA: Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Claudio Graziano said on Sunday that 'Israel's' ongoing occupation of parts of the border town of Ghajar was a violation to UN Resolution 1701. "‘Israel' still occupies the northern part of the town of Ghajar and this goes against UN Security Council Resolution 1701," Graziano said.
'Israel' has rejected a UNIFIL suggestion aimed at organizing the responsibility over the security of the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese-'Israeli'(Palestinian) border, Haaretz newspaper reported on Sunday
'Israeli' Army radio said had expressed its readiness to handle the security responsibility of the village in addition to ensuring civil services to villagers.
"‘Israel' said its agreement is pending the Lebanese government's written approval in this regard," it said.
Since its withdrawal from South of Lebanon in 2006, 'Israel' had been controlling the northern part of Ghajar village.
In its official response, 'Israel' said the issue was not relevant at this stage, as Lebanon rejected a similar deal a year ago. In March 2007, 'Israel's' security cabinet authorized an agreement under which the 'Israel' military would withdraw from the northern section of Ghajar; its positions would be taken over by UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, which would provide security.
According to the 'Israeli' proposal, 'Israel' would continue to provide services to the village's civilian population.
The Lebanese government rejected the agreement and did not implement it.
Senior officials in 'Israel' have since required as a precondition that any future discussion on the matter be accompanied by a signed, official agreement by the Lebanese government.
Senior political sources in Occupied Jerusalem (al-Quds) said "there was no intention to discuss the Ghajar issue as long as issues that trouble ‘Israel' are not being dealt with."
As such, in addition to the official 'Israeli' response on the UN proposal on Ghajar, a list of reasons for 'Israel's' opposition to the new offer were included.
According to Haaretz, among the military reasons for 'Israel's' rejection of the offer was that the 'Israeli' military considered Ghajar to be a significant weak point in defenses along the northern border. In addition, the military considered Ghajar to be strategically important from an intelligence-gathering standpoint and its ability to foil Hizbullah attacks, particularly attempts to carry out abductions, according to the report in Haaretz.
In other UNIFIL-related developments, a French UN vehicle traveling from Beirut to a military base in the South overturned on the highway lightly injuring four French soldiers, highway in Rmeileh, 30 kilometers south of Beirut.
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