The Lebanese and Israel armies Tuesday held a routine tripartite meeting hosted by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon at their headquarters in south Lebanon.
The meeting, chaired by UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col entailed discussions on the situation along the Blue Line, air and ground violations, as well as other issues that fall under the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 framework.
Del Col stressed on the significance of these tripartite meetings as a mechanism that aims to reduce tension and prevent misunderstandings between Lebanon and Israel, according to a UNIFIL statement.
“We have a unique opportunity to make substantial progress on contentious issues along the Blue Line,” Del Col was quoted as saying in the statement.
“I would like to call on you to move beyond maintaining what we have already and finish the work on the outstanding points as encouraged by Security Council Resolution 2539,” he added.
Del Col also commended the two parties for their constructive role in de-escalating tensions along the Blue Line.
UNIFIL-mediated meetings between the Lebanese and Israeli armies have been held regularly since the end of Israel's 2006 war against Lebanon, seen by UNIFIL as an “essential conflict management and confidence building mechanism.”
The meeting was held in the presence of a delegation of Lebanese Army soldiers. A statement from the Army said the Lebanese side “condemned the continuous fires caused by Israel on the borders.”
“The Lebanese side stressed the need for [Israel] to withdraw from all occupied territories,” the statement added, referring to the occupied Shebaa Farms and the village of Ghajar.
Lebanon and Israel are set to meet Wednesday, along with their respective negotiation teams, to hold the second round of the indirect maritime border demarcation talks which are and mediated by the US.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
