UN says 'the time is now' for Lebanon-Israel talks

BEIRUT — United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert released a statement on Thursday, on the occasion of the one-year mark since an ostensible cease-fire was brought into effect between Israel and Hezbollah, in which she encouraged Lebanon and Israel to engage in direct negotiations to curb escalating Israeli violence on the country.

This renewed call follows a similar one issued last week and comes amid repeated statements of willingness voiced by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to open talks with Israel.

According to a recent L'Orient Today investigation, Israel has violated the truce more than 12,000 times since it supposedly came into effect, including killing around 350 people, at least 136 of whom were confirmed to be civilians.

"For too many Lebanese, the conflict is ongoing — albeit at a lower intensity," Hennis-Plasschaert said. "And, one does not need a crystal ball to understand that, as long as the current status quo continues, the spectre of future hostilities will continue to loom large."

"What is clear is that the time to embrace both the urgency and opportunity of the current moment is now," she continued. "That goes for actors on both sides of the Blue Line."

"Dialogue and negotiations alone will not solve everything, but they will help to establish a baseline of outstanding commitments and, importantly, will clear the way for the security and stability both parties say they seek. The time for talks is now. No challenge is unsurmountable. A bright future for all can be realized."

Despite the increased Lebanese Army presence in the South, where the majority of Hezbollah's military infrastructure has been dismantled, uncertainty remains, Hennis-Plasschaert warned.

Salam reiterated last week that Lebanon was ready to open talks with Israel and would seek U.S. assistance to facilitate negotiations, saying that it was still "a mystery" to him why Tel Aviv had not yet responded to this call. Aoun has also publicly stated his support for negotiations with Israel on several occasions, saying he believes it could be the only way to restore stability in the South and throughout Lebanon.

Earlier in November, Hezbollah reiterated its opposition to disarmament before Israel has first agreed to cease its attacks on Lebanon and withdrawn its occupying forces. It also rejected the idea of any “political negotiations” with Israel.

Israeli soldiers infiltrate Lebanese territory

Israeli troops conducted an incursion into Lebanon on Wednesday night, shortly after 9 p.m., infiltrating with an army vehicle the outskirts of Marjayoun district's Mais al-Jabal village. The soldiers had come from the Israeli military post of al-Assi, located opposite Mais al-Jabal.

According to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South Israeli soldiers moved about 100 meters into Lebanon, entered a house, searched it, then withdrew.

Then, after midnight, Israeli soldiers stationed at the illegal outpost on Lebanon territory on the the hills south of Khiam, also in Marjayoun district, opened fire with machine guns on the village's outskirts.

Flare bombs were also launched towards Markaba, in the same district, from Israel, and, according to residents, intense Israeli fire from automatic weapons targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba, in Hasbaya district.

The machine gun fire appeared to be coming from from the Rweissat al-Alam outpost, another one of the six sites within Lebanon illegally occupied by the Israeli army since the truce began.

Reporting contributed by L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South, Muntasser Abdallah.