A photo taken from a position along the northern border of Israel with Lebanon shows vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. (Credit: Jalaa Marey/AFP)
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the head of mission and commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, issued a joint statement on the last scheduled day for the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories in south Lebanon, as part of the cease-fire with Hezbollah that came into effect on Nov. 27.
The two United Nations representatives regretted the delay in implementing the truce provisions, initially set for 60 days and extended until Feb. 18 at Israel's request, considering it to be a "new violation" of U.N. Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between the same belligerents. They also said that there is "still much to do to fulfill the commitments made under the November agreement and Resolution 1701," as the Israeli army plans to remain stationed at five strategic points.
This statement comes as the Lebanese government announced its intention to ask the U.N. to force Israel to withdraw "immediately" from all occupied border territories.
"This day marks the end of the period set for the withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces south of the Blue Line and the parallel deployment of Lebanese Armed Forces in positions in south Lebanon, as provided in the cease-fire agreement of Nov. 26, 2024," said the two authors of the statement.
"A further delay in this process is not what we had hoped for, mainly because it constitutes a new violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). However, this should not overshadow the tangible progress made since the agreement took effect at the end of November," they added. Hennis-Plasschaert and Lázaro stated that "the Israeli Defense Forces have withdrawn from population centers in south Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces have deployed under difficult conditions, supporting the return of communities and working to restore essential services."
According to information published in recent weeks, one of the main challenges has been restoring water and electricity supplies in areas completely devastated by the massive bombardments of the Israeli army, which also dynamited many homes, if not entire neighborhoods in several border villages on the Lebanese side.
"In the meantime, the new president and the new government of Lebanon are determined to fully extend the authority of the state to all southern areas and consolidate stability to prevent a return of conflict in Lebanon. They deserve unwavering support in this endeavor," added the two U.N. officials, referring to the election of Joseph Aoun to the presidency on Jan. 9 and the formation of a new government by Nawaf Salam on Feb. 8.
"Much remains to be done to fulfill the commitments made under the November agreement and Resolution 1701. We call on both parties to respect their obligations. The sense of security among southern Lebanon communities, who are in a precarious situation, has been bolstered by the adoption of a plan of action," it said.
