From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Lebanon rejects any changes to UN peacekeeping mandate
Lebanon is calling for a UN peacekeeping force’s mandate to be renewed without changes so that it can continue working to prevent hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah terrorist group.
Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil conveyed Lebanon’s position to representatives of the UN Security Council’s permanent members this afternoon.
The peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is up for renewal when its mandate expires August 31. Israel and the US are pressing for improvements to the force to combat what they say is the spread of illegal arms to Hezbollah-dominated southern Lebanon.
The UNIFIL commander in Lebanon and the Lebanese government reject the claims. Bassil said renewing the force’s mandate is paramount to the country’s security. He pointed to what he said were daily Israeli violations of UN resolutions and Lebanese sovereignty.
— with AP
The Times of Israel Community.