Government submits complaint on Israeli blockade to Security Council
BEIRUT: Lebanon has filed an official complaint with the UN Security Council in protest against Israel's continued blockade of the country, sending copies of a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the members of the council. The move came as Egypt summoned Israel's ambassador in Cairo on Tuesday to demand that the Jewish state lift its blockade of Lebanon, saying it was hindering aid and would feed extremism, according to a Foreign Ministry official.
Israel has kept an air and sea embargo on Lebanon since its 34-day bombardment of the country ended on August 14.
Israel says the blockade is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hizbullah.
"The continuation of this siege would feed extremist currents," Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab affairs Hany Khalaf told journalists.
Khalaf said the blockade was hindering aid to Lebanon and was a violation "in letter and spirit" of the UN-brokered truce that helped end the war.
The letter, agreed upon at a Cabinet session Monday night, accused Israel of violating UN Resolution 1701, which calls for "the reopening of harbors and airports under the authority of the Government of Lebanon."
The letter said that Lebanon had deployed around 8,500 soldiers along its eastern and northern borders to strengthen security, adding that Israel is violating international law by appointing itself "a referee" with regard to the implementation of Resolution 1701.
The letter urged Annan "to deploy all efforts to put an end to the blockade and its consequences for the Lebanese."
The head of the Arab Parliament, Mohammad Jassem al-Saqr, called on Tuesday for Arab governments to break the Israeli blockade on Lebanon by sending their planes and ships to the country without the consent of Israel.
"Israel cannot stop any attempt to break the blockade," Saqr said. "If an airplane arrives here without the consent of Israel, Israel would not be able to hit it."
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Israel has kept an air and sea embargo on Lebanon since its 34-day bombardment of the country ended on August 14.
Israel says the blockade is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hizbullah.
"The continuation of this siege would feed extremist currents," Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab affairs Hany Khalaf told journalists.
Khalaf said the blockade was hindering aid to Lebanon and was a violation "in letter and spirit" of the UN-brokered truce that helped end the war.
The letter, agreed upon at a Cabinet session Monday night, accused Israel of violating UN Resolution 1701, which calls for "the reopening of harbors and airports under the authority of the Government of Lebanon."
The letter said that Lebanon had deployed around 8,500 soldiers along its eastern and northern borders to strengthen security, adding that Israel is violating international law by appointing itself "a referee" with regard to the implementation of Resolution 1701.
The letter urged Annan "to deploy all efforts to put an end to the blockade and its consequences for the Lebanese."
The head of the Arab Parliament, Mohammad Jassem al-Saqr, called on Tuesday for Arab governments to break the Israeli blockade on Lebanon by sending their planes and ships to the country without the consent of Israel.
"Israel cannot stop any attempt to break the blockade," Saqr said. "If an airplane arrives here without the consent of Israel, Israel would not be able to hit it."
Keep Reading
posted by Huda Nassar at 9:20 AM
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