Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:30:03 GMT
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A file photo of UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon. |
The UN forces in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) have stopped a unilateral maneuver in the wake of mounting protests from the people in the region.
Angry Lebanese on Tuesday blocked roads to UNIFIL troops and their armored vehicles in southern Lebanon in protest to the peacekeeping forces' drills in their villages, a Press TV correspondent reported.
An article in the Lebanese paper al-Safir also said the UNIFIL was holding maneuvers in the region with the aim of protecting the Israeli regime from possible missile attacks from southern Lebanon.
The country's popular resistance group Hezbollah denounced the move as out of ordinary and not in accordance with the mandate of the UNIFIL.
"What happened yesterday was very strange, because in general, the movements of the troops of the UNIFIL must be companied with the Lebanese soldiers," Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said.
"Yesterday they were alone without any companying of the Lebanese soldiers and this is I think out of the (UN Security Council Resolution) 1701 rules," he added.
UNIFIL officials, however, rejected the argument and attributed the unprecedented tensions to a misunderstanding.
"People thought that the UNIFIL was carrying out a special kind of operation where we were carrying out raids… and some large scale operation to counter rockets launching … but there was no scenario and nothing like that," said UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh.
"It was purely aimed at ensuring our capacity for maximum deployment of troops, ultimately with the aim of more effectively assisting the Lebanese army."
Despite UNIFIL assurances, Hezbollah representatives have said they do not feel that the forces are working in coordination with the Lebanese army.
The controversy yet has to be addressed by officials from the country's armed forces who have not issued a formal statement in this regard.
Sources close to Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri took a more cautious stance but said the government will take action against the UNIFIL if they have indeed exceeded their mandate.
"I believe that if the UNIFIL has exceeded any boundaries, then the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army are responsible for addressing such a matter. It is not the responsibility of the Lebanese people," said Oqab Saqr, an MP for the Western-backed March 14 coalition.
"There must not be any confrontations with the UNIFIL in order to preserve security in the south," he added.
The deepening controversy over the force's inaction toward almost daily violation of the Lebanese airspace by Israeli fighter jets further intensified after Israeli soldiers kidnapped a Lebanese shepherd and held him in detention for two days, where he was subjected to torture and battering.
MRS/MRS
Angry Lebanese on Tuesday blocked roads to UNIFIL troops and their armored vehicles in southern Lebanon in protest to the peacekeeping forces' drills in their villages, a Press TV correspondent reported.
An article in the Lebanese paper al-Safir also said the UNIFIL was holding maneuvers in the region with the aim of protecting the Israeli regime from possible missile attacks from southern Lebanon.
The country's popular resistance group Hezbollah denounced the move as out of ordinary and not in accordance with the mandate of the UNIFIL.
"What happened yesterday was very strange, because in general, the movements of the troops of the UNIFIL must be companied with the Lebanese soldiers," Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said.
"Yesterday they were alone without any companying of the Lebanese soldiers and this is I think out of the (UN Security Council Resolution) 1701 rules," he added.
UNIFIL officials, however, rejected the argument and attributed the unprecedented tensions to a misunderstanding.
"People thought that the UNIFIL was carrying out a special kind of operation where we were carrying out raids… and some large scale operation to counter rockets launching … but there was no scenario and nothing like that," said UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh.
"It was purely aimed at ensuring our capacity for maximum deployment of troops, ultimately with the aim of more effectively assisting the Lebanese army."
Despite UNIFIL assurances, Hezbollah representatives have said they do not feel that the forces are working in coordination with the Lebanese army.
The controversy yet has to be addressed by officials from the country's armed forces who have not issued a formal statement in this regard.
Sources close to Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri took a more cautious stance but said the government will take action against the UNIFIL if they have indeed exceeded their mandate.
"I believe that if the UNIFIL has exceeded any boundaries, then the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army are responsible for addressing such a matter. It is not the responsibility of the Lebanese people," said Oqab Saqr, an MP for the Western-backed March 14 coalition.
"There must not be any confrontations with the UNIFIL in order to preserve security in the south," he added.
The deepening controversy over the force's inaction toward almost daily violation of the Lebanese airspace by Israeli fighter jets further intensified after Israeli soldiers kidnapped a Lebanese shepherd and held him in detention for two days, where he was subjected to torture and battering.
MRS/MRS
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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