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UNIFIL says Hezbollah tunnels violate UN resolution 1701
Hezbollah tunnels dug from southern Lebanon into northern Israel constitute a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced yesterday.
UNIFIL said: “Based on UNIFIL’s independent assessment, UNIFIL has so far confirmed the existence of four tunnels close to the Blue Line in northern Israel… UNIFIL at this stage can confirm that two of the tunnels cross the Blue Line. These constitute violations of UN Security Council resolution 1701.” The statement continued: “UNIFIL has requested the Lebanese authorities to ensure urgent follow-up actions in accordance with the responsibilities of the Government of Lebanon pursuant to Resolution 1701”.
Resolution 1701 was approved by the UN Security Council in August 2006. It called for the full cessation of hostilities and respect for the Blue Line, which demarcates the Israeli-Lebanese border. Violations of the border were first announced by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) on 4 December as part of ‘Operation Northern Shield’. The IDF revealed the existence of a fourth tunnel on Sunday.
The IDF has begun reinforcing the border by placing rolls of barbed wire fencing on the Israeli side of the Blue Line. UNIFIL soldiers defused an incident on the Israeli-Lebanese border yesterday after the Lebanese military claimed the initial location for the fencing infringed on their territory. Lebanese and Israeli media quote conflicting sources who say the Israeli soldiers kept the fencing where it was or agreed to move the wire fencing as a result of heated discussions between UNIFIL and Lebanese soldiers. A UNIFIL spokesman said: “UNIFIL troops were deployed in the area to defuse the situation, prevent misunderstandings and maintain stability.”
Israeli media report this morning that Russia has asked the Lebanese Government to address the Hezbollah runnels and prevent instability on the Israel-Lebanon border. This has been interpreted as a significant intervention following weeks of tension in Israeli-Russian relations after a Russian aircraft was shot down by Syrian missiles in Syria following an Israeli airstrike.