Lebanon PM says committed to UN resolution amid Israel border tensions

AFP , Tuesday 24 Oct 2023

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati reaffirmed Beirut's commitment to a UN resolution that ended a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, during a surprise trip to southern Lebanon on Tuesday.


Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati

He emphasised Lebanon's commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war and which also called for the removal of weapons in southern Lebanon from the hands of everyone except the Lebanese army and other state security forces.

"We came to the beloved south, to reaffirm peace-loving Lebanon's respect for all legitimate international resolutions and its commitment to implementing" resolution 1701, Mikati said, according to a statement.

Mikati and Lebanon's army commander Joseph Aoun visited troops and the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission during the trip, the statement from the premier's media office said.

More than 19,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon amid the rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah at the country's southern border, figures released Monday by a United Nations agency showed.

On Sunday, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Kassem warned that Israel would pay a high price if it starts a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, adding that the group already is “in the heart of the battle.”

Israel has carried out cross-border strikes and bombardments on Lebanon, while Palestinian groups have also launched limited infiltration attempts into Israel.

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