Middle East News
UN peacekeeeping force confirms "incident" in southern Lebanon
Apr 22, 2008, 16:18 GMT
Beirut - The United Nations Peacekeeping force in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Tuesday confirmed there had been an 'incident' between militants believed to be from the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement and an Italian patrol working in the UN peace mission in southern Lebanon last month.
The head of the UNIFIL force, Italian general Claudio Graziano, said that 'a brief incident took place last month, while an Italian UN patrol was on a mission in southern Lebanon. It was a brief contact where the patrol suspected a car with some militants inside it.'
Graziano said the incident on March 31 lasted only two minutes. He said the issue was discussed during a meeting earlier this month with representatives from the UN peace mission and the Lebanese army.
Earlier, Israeli reports on the incident had said Hezbollah militants scared off UNIFIL armed forces after the UN peacekeepers found a truck carrying arms and ammunition for the group.
The Haaretz newspaper, which quoted an unnamed source in Jerusalem, reported that the UNIFIL troops were on patrol and pulled the truck over. When they approached the vehicle, armed Hezbollah terrorists exited and threatened them at gunpoint. The UNIFIL troops returned to their cars and went back to their base.
The incident was kept secret at the time. It was mentioned in a report submitted to the UN Security Council by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Israeli reports indicated.
According to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Hezbollah is not allowed to enter the area in which the weapons shipment was found. The resolution ended 33-days of war between Hezbollah and Israel on August 2006.
According to Graziano, UNIFIL - made up of over 13,000 soldiers - conducts over 400 patrols daily and mans close to 200 observation posts throughout the area of operation, which covers 1,100 square kilometres from the Litani River in the north to the Blue Line border in the south.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Middle East
- 1. Jerusalem prelate tells Arab Spring youth to have confidence
- 2. More than 100 killed in Syria ahead of ceasefire deadline
- 3. At least 43 killed in Syria, despite UN criticism
- 4. 19 killed in Syria as ceasefire deadline approaches
- 5. Pilgrims flock to Jerusalem for Easter, Passover
Older Talkback
page: 1
History shows that if you continue down a path of conquering and forced slavery eventually you the agressor will fall. One can defeat the whole world. The romans tried heck they did a good job but eventually over time there subjects turned against there roman aggresors.
ok Every body knows israel won the wars back in the 1960s or whatever
But what is sad is that these palestinians are being killed humilliated tortured mothers burying there sons etc If you want peace you dont build a house on your neighbors lawn. If you want peace you dont kill kids for throwing rocks at a tank. I mean come on israel will be fighting i predict for the next 1000 years if it keeps its policy of targeted agression .. they have nukes but they wont use it because God would never forgive them know matter what the cost
..... According to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Hezbollah is not allowed.....
Well, the cancer cell zionists are not allowed to conduct flying sorties or crossing the border according the same UN BS, but they do...
About the remark, bombing Hezbollah for years, one thing you should keep in your empty head. Until the 33 days war in summer 06, you zionists had been fighting corrupted arab leaders. From now on you have a whole different resistance. Your leaders know it and you will feel it much better in near future.
Another proof that the UNIFIL is worthless and that the terrorist private militia hizbollah does want it wants when it wants regardless of any UN stipulations or rules. Israel stopped its attack on hizbollah precisely because the UN promised (a) that it would arrange to free the Israeli captives and (b) would impose strict guidelines that deny weapon re-supplying of hizbollah by Syria and (c) not allow hizbollah to roam anywhere and conduct military exercises or buildups in certain areas.
The UN has failed miserable on all counts. The Israel captives aren't allowed even Red Cross visitation and in fact even whether they exist at all is kept a secret. Syria has re-armed hizbollah with perhaps a greater arsenal then before and Hizbollah conducts military palnning in areas that were supposed to be off limits to them. If there is another confrontation between Israel and hizbollah, any 'ceasefire' based on UN promises should be ignored.
Hizbollah and their Iranian backers lost alot of in the 33 day war with Israel. Their head honcho, Nasrallah likes to say they won but if losing over 600 gunmen --- He never acknowledged or paid tribute to his own dead soldiers because to do so would give Israel a propaganda coup so he let them die in silence without any honor- a real Arab leader he is and having rubble instead of buildings is called 'winning', I would like to see them 'win' even bigger next time.
I think the outcome would have been a little different if US peacekeepers were involved.
Eventually the State of Israel will collapse from within or it will be reduced to ashes by others in the world who are not arab or from the Middle East, but are tired of Israel atrocities and war crimes. Israel is creating more and more enemies each day by its treatment of the Palestinians.
Many in the US despise Israel and want the US to sever ties with Israel, but the US will not do it at this time. However, with Israel's continual spying and stealing secret intelligence, it's just a matter of time before Israel does something unforgiveable. That's when the US will break ties with Israel. I hope it happens sooner than later.
page: 1
guadalcanal diaryApr 22nd, 2008 - 16:31:48
Foolish Israelis...they should still be bombing southern lebanon. Nonstop for months/years/decades until the JOB is finished. Every Muslim army in history sues for cease fires/negotiations until they rebuild their military strength to attack again. There have been NO exceptions.
Report this comment