Lebanon’s caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Bou Habib, asked the Lebanese mission to the United Nations to submit a new complaint to the Security Council on Tuesday 9, in response to Israel’s complaint about Lebanon’s non-compliance with Resolution 1701.
The complaint condemns the hostile actions carried out by the Israeli forces since October 7 against Lebanon, coinciding with its war on Gaza, and presents documented evidence of Israel’s violation of Resolution 1701.
It also accuses Israel of “distorting facts” by holding Lebanon responsible for its blatant transgressions on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The documented pieces of evidence show that the Israeli assaults constituted a clear breach of Paragraphs 1 and 4 of Resolution 1701, in which the Security Council strongly supports “full respect for the Blue Line.” The text of the complaint says, “It’s worth noting that these repeated and ongoing Israeli attacks have led to the displacement of more than 75,000 Lebanese citizens from their homes in southern towns.”
The documented pieces also mention the targeting of a Lebanese army center in the South by Israeli forces with four shells, resulting in its complete destruction, the killing of a Lebanese soldier, and the injury of three military personnel, two of whom were critically wounded. Moreover, Israel coducted 34 attacks on Lebanese army centers since the outbreak of events on October 7, 2023, in clear violation of Paragraph 5 of Resolution 1701.
This is in addition to Israel’s targeting of UNIFIL centers with shells and firing at patrols under its authority, a clear challenge to the mandate granted to UNIFIL forces as per Paragraph 12 of Resolution 1701.
Israel’s disregard for Resolution 1701 is part of a long-standing pattern of ignoring international resolutions, including Resolutions 50 of 1948, 242 of 1967, 279 of 1970, 313 of 1972, and 425 of 1978, the complaint reads.
The text of the complaint also stresses that Lebanon reaffirms its consistent policy regarding the right to self-defense and the pursuit of its rights through legitimate means, including resorting to the United Nations. It reiterates its commitment to the full implementation of Resolution 1701 and emphasizes its keenness to reduce escalation and restore calm along the Blue Line.
The Lebanese government also requests the United Nations’ support for the Lebanese state to assert its authority over all Lebanese territories by strengthening its armed forces, the text adds.
