UN Secretary General Issues Warning to Israel, Lebanon

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08:30 Aug 15, '06

(IsraelNN.com) United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan issued a warning to Israel and Lebanon, couched in a letter reminding both of the terms of the ceasefire that went into effect Monday morning. The letter repeated the ban on changing the number and location of each country’s soldiers, and warned against occupying additional territory.

http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=110089


United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

Date: 14 Aug 2006
Lebanon: UNIFIL press release, 14 Aug 2006

The cessation of hostilities, in accordance with UNSC resolution 1701, came into effect at 08.00 hours local time today.

The parties are expected to cease firing into the territory of or at the other side by any type of weapons from the ground, air or sea. No force should occupy or seek to occupy any additional territory from the other side. All sides should also ensure full cooperation, the security and safety, and the freedom of movement of the UNIFIL force to monitor compliance with the cessation of hostilities.

UNIFIL dispatched a number of patrols throughout its area of operation this morning to assess the situation on the ground and to monitor the cessation of hostilities.

There were no reports of incidents or breaches of the agreement in the UNIFIL area of operations until 1300 hours today.

UNIFIL Force Commander, General Pellegrini, has met with the senior representatives of the Lebanese Army and the Israeli Army at noon today, inside the UNIFIL position at the border crossing at Ras Naqoura, to discuss the implementation of and compliance with the agreement. They also discussed the withdrawal of the Israeli army and the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces in the South.

During the 24-hour period prior to the cessation of hostilities coming into effect, exchanges of fire continued with same intensity throughout the UNIFIL area of operation. The IDF intensified shelling and aerial bombardment across the south, especially in the general areas of Khiyam in the eastern sector, Tibnin in the central sector, and between Tyre and Naqoura along the Mediterranean cost. Hezbollah fired rockets in somewhat reduced numbers from various locations.

The IDF has maintained their presence and continued to operate inside Lebanese territory in different areas. It seems that the IDF tried to advance during last night in the general area of Tibnin and Haris in the central sector. Intensive shelling and ground exchanges in this area were reported. There were no significant changes on the ground in other areas despite heavy fighting in some of them.

Yesterday and during last night, there were a number of serious incidents of firing from the Israeli side directly on UN positions in various locations:

Tibnin (4), Haris (2), At Tiri (2) and Marun al Ras (1). A total of 85 artillery shells impacted directly inside these UNIFIL positions, (of which 35 impacted inside the position in the area of Tibnin), causing massive material damage to all the positions. All UNIFIL personnel were forced into shelters for the entire period, which prevented casualties. In addition, 10 aerial rockets and 108 artillery rounds from the IDF side impacted in the immediate vicinity of these and other UN positions, including the UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura. UNIFIL strongly protested to the IDF command all these grave incidents which endangered the security and safety of UN personnel and caused enormous material damage to UN property.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KHII-6SP5BL?OpenDocument

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1. EXPRESSING RELIEF AT CEASEFIRE IN LEBANON

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES PARTIES TO CONSOLIDATE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES

The following statement by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was made today in New York:

I am relieved to note that the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon called for by the Security Council, which came into effect at 0500 hours GMT today, appears to be generally holding. I urge the parties to make every effort, in the interest of the civilian population on both sides, to continue and consolidate the cessation. I also urge them to move swiftly to convert it into a lasting ceasefire, in cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), through the measures prescribed in the Security Council resolution. The United Nations is actively carrying out its part in those measures, and I strongly urge all parties to do likewise, including especially those Member States that can contribute to the enhanced UNIFIL.

Millions around the world have pinned their hopes for peace on the implementation of this agreement. Neither side should have any reason to disappoint those hopes, and if either were to do so it would pay a heavy price in terms of world public opinion.

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10597.doc.htm

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2. LEBANON CALM BUT TENSE ON FIRST DAY OF CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES

http://www.un.org/News/ossg/hilites.shtml

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says the situation on the ground is calm but tense, and that the while there have been a number of sporadic clashes, in general both sides seem to be exercising restraint.
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UNFIIL sent a number of patrols throughout its area of operation this morning to assess the situation on the ground and to monitor the cessation of hostilities.
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There were no reports of incidents or breaches of the agreement in the UNIFIL area of operations as of 1300 hours today.
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Earlier today, the UNIFIL Force Commander, General Alain Pellegrini, met with senior officers of the Lebanese and Israeli armies, inside the UNIFIL position at the border crossing at Ras Naqoura, to discuss the implementation of and compliance with the agreement.
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They also discussed the withdrawal of the Israeli army and the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces in south Lebanon.
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UNIFIL said the meeting was open and productive, and has welcomed it as a positive and encouraging development. A follow up meeting is planned for later this week.
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UNIFIL adds that during the 24-hour period prior to the cessation of hostilities coming into effect, exchanges of fire continued with same intensity throughout the UNIFIL area of operation.
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Yesterday and during last night, there were a number of serious incidents of firing from the Israeli side directly on UN positions in various locations, with a total of 85 artillery shells impacting directly inside various UNIFIL positions, and causing massive damage. All UNIFIL personnel were forced into shelters for the entire period, and UNIFIL strongly protested to the Israeli Defense Force command all these incidents.
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Asked about the Secretary-General’s involvement in the deployment of the enhanced UNFIL force, the Spokesman said the United Nations is working under an accelerated process in order to build up the UN forces on the ground.
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The Spokesman added that the United Nations has held discussions with some potential troop contributors over past days and more are expected over the coming days, with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations hoping to convene a more formal meeting soon.
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The Spokesman said the Secretary-General has been in telephone contact with various parties today – including French officials and the European Union’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana – on the issue of force generation.
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“As the Security Council resolution states, it’s important the international community commit what it can to the United Nations in order to help us create this mobile and robust force,” Dujarric said. He added that that at this point no formal commitments have been made by troop-contributing countries.
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Asked about the size of the expanded UNIFIL, the Spokesman noted that the Security Council resolution mentions a mandate which calls for a total of up to 15,000 peacekeepers.
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Asked about the time-table the United Nations had in mind for the deployment, the Spokesman said the United Nations would like to see the beefing up of UNIFIL as soon as possible, but “it depends on the willingness of the troop-contributors to step up to the plate.”
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“As opposed to past situations, we do have one leg up here as there already is a UN force in south Lebanon,” Dujarric said. “It is a challenge and we’re working hard to try to get these troops but we don’t face the situation that we’ve faced in other countries where there is no UN infrastructure on the ground.”
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Asked what else the Secretary-General and the United Nations is working on besides beefing up UNIFIL, the Spokesman said a key development in this regard was the three-way meeting involving General Pellegrini and an Israeli general and a Lebanese general on the time-line for an Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces. He stressed that in New York, the Secretary-General and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations have been trying to drum up troops for the expanded UNIFIL presence.
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Asked about the expansion of UNIFIL throughout the area between the Israeli-Lebanese border, the Spokesman said UNIFIL is already there, having kept 19 of its positions throughout the fighting.
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“The cessation of hostilities allows us to become more mobile again,” Dujarric said, adding that these are early stages in the cessation of hostilities and that more patrols would be carried out as possible.
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Asked if anyone had come forward to help the Lebanese army replace some of its reportedly out-dated equipment, the Spokesman said this would be something to be considered in a bilateral framework.
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Asked if General Pelligrini will now leave UNIFIL, the Spokesman he would not be leaving and stressed that Gen. Pelligrini had done and outstanding job under extremely difficult circumstances in the past few weeks.
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Asked about the Lebanese Government postponed its cabinet meeting on a decision to deploying 15,000 Lebanese troops in the south, the Spokesman said he understood that the postponement was technical and the Lebanese Government is expected to meet again later this week. He again stressed the fact that Lebanese officers were already meeting with their Israeli counterparts under UNIFIL auspices.
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Asked if UNIFIL will be able to monitor the Syrian-Lebanese border, the Spokesman noted that the resolution states that UNIFIL will be assisting the Lebanese Government.