New "Israeli" violation in Ghajar, Ghajar residents reject division
Source: nowlebanon.com, 28-10-2008
A Hummer carrying a squad of five ‘Israeli' soldiers entered the northern part of Ghajar, a village at the Lebanese-Syrian border, along the Wazzani River at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
A Spanish UNIFIL contingent observed the ‘Israeli' soldiers and a military dog conducting a search as they approached a spring in the village.
The search operation coincided with ‘Israeli' patrols around Ghajar. The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL forces have also been conducting extensive sweeps in the area.
Residents of the southern Lebanese border town have also issued a request that the town remain united and returned to Syria along with the Golan Heights.
Ynetnews, the website version of Yediot Aharonot, cited a report published by the Lebanese daily As-Safir earlier this month as saying the UN would adopt a proposal to place the northern half of Ghajar under UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) control as per Security Council Resolution 1701, which was passed to end of July War.
Members of a Ghajar township council met with local dignitaries and representatives on Monday to discuss the town's fate, according to Ynet.
After the meeting, the council dispatched an urgent letter to the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, asking him to keep residents involved in any decisions made that would affect their village. The letter also said the council called for Ghajar to remain unified.
A copy of the letter was sent to UNIFIL commander, General Claudio Graziano.
Ghajar residents said they feared that handing over the northern part of their village to UNIFIL troops would tear families apart and further complicate citizens' day-to-day lives, which were already burdened with problems since Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000.
Ynet wrote that many residents of Ghajar carry Israeli ID cards but have lived between the fences erected by the ‘Israeli' War Forces and the UN to prevent the smuggling of arms and drugs into ‘Israel' and infiltrations of armed groups.
Some Ghajar residents also retain Syrian citizenship, Ynet reported, and wanted to see their village "returned to Syria along with the rest of the Golan Heights as part of a future peace agreement between ‘Israel' and Syria, and the implementation of the UN Resolution 242."
Ynet quoted the letter as saying, "We ask to be part of any debate being held on the international level regarding the future of the village. We will not accept any decision that would divide families and damage our rights. We will stay on the lands our parents and grandparents worked and passed on to the next generations."
The village council invited Williams to Ghajar for "a meeting in which they hoped to convey the sensitivities and complexities of the situation," Ynet reported.
"Members said their decision not to address Williams though official ‘Israeli' channels stemmed from desperation over the lack of understanding from all sides involved, and out of a sense of confidence in the ability of the UN to understand and work towards resolving the problem in a transparent and earnest manner," the website concluded.
A Hummer carrying a squad of five ‘Israeli' soldiers entered the northern part of Ghajar, a village at the Lebanese-Syrian border, along the Wazzani River at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
A Spanish UNIFIL contingent observed the ‘Israeli' soldiers and a military dog conducting a search as they approached a spring in the village.
The search operation coincided with ‘Israeli' patrols around Ghajar. The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL forces have also been conducting extensive sweeps in the area.
Residents of the southern Lebanese border town have also issued a request that the town remain united and returned to Syria along with the Golan Heights.
Ynetnews, the website version of Yediot Aharonot, cited a report published by the Lebanese daily As-Safir earlier this month as saying the UN would adopt a proposal to place the northern half of Ghajar under UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) control as per Security Council Resolution 1701, which was passed to end of July War.
Members of a Ghajar township council met with local dignitaries and representatives on Monday to discuss the town's fate, according to Ynet.
After the meeting, the council dispatched an urgent letter to the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, asking him to keep residents involved in any decisions made that would affect their village. The letter also said the council called for Ghajar to remain unified.
A copy of the letter was sent to UNIFIL commander, General Claudio Graziano.
Ghajar residents said they feared that handing over the northern part of their village to UNIFIL troops would tear families apart and further complicate citizens' day-to-day lives, which were already burdened with problems since Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000.
Ynet wrote that many residents of Ghajar carry Israeli ID cards but have lived between the fences erected by the ‘Israeli' War Forces and the UN to prevent the smuggling of arms and drugs into ‘Israel' and infiltrations of armed groups.
Some Ghajar residents also retain Syrian citizenship, Ynet reported, and wanted to see their village "returned to Syria along with the rest of the Golan Heights as part of a future peace agreement between ‘Israel' and Syria, and the implementation of the UN Resolution 242."
Ynet quoted the letter as saying, "We ask to be part of any debate being held on the international level regarding the future of the village. We will not accept any decision that would divide families and damage our rights. We will stay on the lands our parents and grandparents worked and passed on to the next generations."
The village council invited Williams to Ghajar for "a meeting in which they hoped to convey the sensitivities and complexities of the situation," Ynet reported.
"Members said their decision not to address Williams though official ‘Israeli' channels stemmed from desperation over the lack of understanding from all sides involved, and out of a sense of confidence in the ability of the UN to understand and work towards resolving the problem in a transparent and earnest manner," the website concluded.
Comments
- Related News
