Stability in southern Lebanon key to Middle East peace, Lebanese PM says
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said that stability in southern Lebanon is crucial for ensuring peace in the broader Middle East.
“We confirm that Resolution 1701, which the Lebanese army will implement south of the Litani River in coordination with UNIFIL forces, is the basis for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of the enemy from our occupied land,” said Mikati during a special cabinet session held in the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.
“We are only kilometres away from the ongoing operations of the enemy army and its repeated violations of the agreement,” said Mikati, noting that the “stability in southern Lebanon and its reconstruction is the key to stability in the Middle East”.
“Security and peace will only return to the region through the implementation of international resolutions and the protection of our country, land, and sovereignty,” he added.
One-sided ceasefire’ means south Lebanon still under regular Israeli bombardment
This evening the Lebanese Health Ministry issued a statement confirming multiple Israeli raids on at least two villages in southern Lebanon. They say that a raid on one of the towns killed five people and wounded five others, and another raid killed one person.
We’re about 10 days into the ceasefire and this has what has been going on throughout the course of this so-called ceasefire. Many people are now calling it a “one-sided ceasefire” in which Israel has secured an addendum in which it can continue to carry out attacks and killings on Lebanese soil while Hezbollah, with whom the Israels were fighting, are forced to stand by and watch.
In the first 10 days or so of the ceasefire, the committee overseeing the ceasefire – including the United States, France the United Nations, the Lebanese armed forces – recorded more than 100 violations of the agreement that they say were carried out by Israel.
Israeli attacks have largely ceased in other parts of the country, but continue to happen in southern Lebanon.
People say there may be a ceasefire in other parts of the country, but that has not meant peace for the people in southern Lebanon who routinely see these raids, still hear Israeli jets flying over their towns and villages, and still hear drones in the air.
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