From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
After IDF says Hezbollah is on border, UNIFIL head says Beirut keeping to pact
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe head of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon says Beirut is committed to keeping an agreement to keep Hezbollah away from the border with Israel, after meeting with top Lebanese officials.
The statement comes a day after the IDF accused the Hezbollah terror group of posing as an environmental NGO to illegally maintain a post along the Israeli border and called on UNIFIL to investigate.
UNIFIL denied that there had been any violations of the agreement.
“Parties [are] committed to implementation of UNSCR 1701,” Stefano Del Col writes on twitter after meeting Lebanese President Michel Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah.
It was a great honour to meet today w/ President Michel Aoun @LBpresidency. I expressed gratitude for continued support & briefed on the importance of #UNIFIL strategic partnership w/ @LebarmyOfficial & on latest Tripartite mtg: parties committed to implementation of UNSCR 1701. pic.twitter.com/gBZgil65D6
— Stefano Del Col (@stefanodelcol) October 23, 2018
He also touts meetings with Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri and speaker Nabih Berri.
Constructive meeting w/ PM @saadhariri. We discussed the importance of ensuring continued implementation of our mandate, the patrolling of all parts of our area of operations in south #Lebanon ???????? & enhancing the partnership between the Gov of Lebanon, @LebarmyOfficial & #UNIFIL. pic.twitter.com/6WOcdI6Rlg
— Stefano Del Col (@stefanodelcol) October 23, 2018
The Times of Israel Community.