The new head of UNIFIL, Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Thursday at the Baabda Palace. (Credit: @aroldo_lasaro)
BEIRUT — Lebanese president Michel Aoun had his first meeting with new United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon commander Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz on Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda.
Here’s what we know:
• “Honored to meet with President Aoun today, my first meeting with him since taking the helm at UNIFIL. I briefed him on our recent work and expressed my gratitude for his support and for Lebanon’s commitment to implementing UN [Security Council] Resolution 1701,” the Spanish major general, who succeeds Italian Stephano Del Col, said on Twitter.
• Meanwhile, the Lebanese head of state tweeted, “Lebanon is committed to implementing resolution 1701 and Israeli violations to Lebanese sovereignty are threatening stability in the south.” The presidency also reported Sáenz as affirming his “commitment to working on securing stability and promoting peace in Lebanon and the region.”
• The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations addressed an urgent letter to the UN Security Council on March 15, tackling “recent violations of resolution 1701 by Hezbollah which have included launching drones into Israeli territory, thus violating its sovereignty.” The Security Council is expected to hold closed-door consultations to discuss its secretary-general’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 1701, which ended hostilities between Lebanon and Israel after the July 2006 war.