Lebanese Defense Minister: We adhere to UNIFIL remaining in the south to cooperate with our army in implementing Resolution 1701

In a statement, Slim noted, “The decision of the 16 European Union countries that participate in the UNIFIL force operating in the south, to continue carrying out its missions in implementation of Security Council Hezbollah" claims to launch a march over Israel… and Tel Aviv responds by flying its fighters over Beirut”>Resolution 1701, despite the attacks on the positions of this force in villages near the border and the threats it makes.” The Israeli enemy is against it.”

The Lebanese Defense Minister considered that “the decision of the European countries confirms a clear international desire to work to preserve their role specified by a Security Council resolution that cannot be amended except by the decision of the member states and not by the will of this enemy, who is upset that these countries remain living witnesses, through their soldiers, to the crimes he is committing.” In Lebanon, there is the systematic and intentional destruction of safe villages and towns, where innocent people are killed daily, while their people are displaced outside their homes, and their property and sources of livelihood are burned.”

He reaffirmed “Lebanon’s adherence to the international forces remaining in the south to cooperate with the Lebanese army deployed with them in implementing Resolution 1701 in all its aspects, which Lebanon has repeatedly declared its commitment to implementing after the ceasefire, while Israel refuses to respond to the international will to stop its criminal war on Lebanon.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the United Nations to immediately evacuate UNIFIL forces from their positions in southern Lebanon, claiming that failure to evacuate them would make them a “hostage of Hezbollah.”

Meanwhile, UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti confirmed that his forces refused to leave their positions on the border after the Israeli army asked them to do so.

Source: National Media