Report: UN Chief Sounds Caution on 1701 Violations

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded a word of caution in his report on violations of Security Council resolution 1701 which called for a cessation of hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel in 2006, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

Guterres highlighted the extent to which Lebanon is implementing the resolution, as the Security Council discussed the report in a “closed session” on Monday, added the daily.

It said that “Hizbullah continues to publicly declare that it retains military capabilities,” and that “no progress has been made towards the disarmament of armed groups beyond the control of the State, thereby undermining the ability of the government of Lebanon to fully exercise its sovereignty and authority over its territory.”

Guterres cited statements made by Hizbullah MP Nawaf al-Moussawi on March 26 saying that "the resistance is capable of striking the depth of Israeli territory."

The report also quoted statements by Israeli army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot in early April, warning of the possibility of a war with Lebanon in 2018 “larger than before,” added the newspaper.

Guterres also pointed out that “there has been no progress in dismantling the military bases maintained by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command and Fatah-Intifada, which continue to undermine Lebanon's sovereignty and impede the ability of the state to effectively monitor and control parts of the border.”

He expressed concern that Israel continues to violate Lebanon’s air space, pointing out that “it not only constitutes a danger for the Lebanese, but also fuels anti-Israel sentiment and rhetoric.”