UN Chief condemns attack on Israeli Defence Forces

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has condemned the attack on Monday against two vehicles of the Israel Defence Forces in the general area of the Sheba’a Farms, South of the Blue Line.

The attack was claimed by Hizbollah.

He said this was in the area of operations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Ban said that UNIFIL and the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon had taken immediate steps through contacts with the parties to help restore calm in the area.

Ban also said UNIFIL was investigating the circumstances of the incident in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defence Forces.

The Secretary-General called on all parties to maintain the cessation of hostilities and to ensure full respect for Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

It will be recalled that the resolution was unanimously approved by the United Nations Security Council on Aug. 11, 2006.

The Security Council expressed utmost concern at the spiralling deadly violence and destruction in Lebanon, the Security Council called for a full cessation of hostilities in the month-long war between Israel and Hizbollah.

It mapped out a formula for the phased withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces from Southern Lebanon, while up to 15,000 United Nations peacekeepers helped Lebanese troops to take control of the area.

The council expressed concern over the hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, the extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and massive internal displacement.

According to the council, this is triggered by the July 12, 2015 abduction of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid; this makes the 15-nation body to unanimously adopt resolution.

The Security Council calls for “the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations in Lebanon’’.

Aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict, council created a buffer zone free of “any armed personnel”.

The council called on both Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive solution to the crisis.