UN Security Council diplomats visit Israel-Lebanon border, amid tensions

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ANWAR AMRO / AFPA U.S. army officer and other representatives of the five permanent UN Security Council members are briefed about the border situation with Israel during a tour near Naqura in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon reportedly intends to ask the UNSC to limit the freedom of UNIFL movement on the Lebanese border with Israel

The Lebanese Army led Tuesday a field tour for representatives of UN Security Council (UNSC) members along the Blue Line border between Lebanon and Israel.

Mounir Shehadeh, a Lebanese government coordinator with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), presented the disputed border area, as well as alleged Israeli violations, particularly near the Naqoura 

The international group stopped at each of the 13 border points in dispute, particularly the Shebaa Farms, the town of Ghajar, and a barbed wire fence erected by the Israeli army. Lebanon alleged each of the points are Lebanese territories occupied by Israel.

Lebanon reportedly intends to ask the UNSC to limit the freedom of its forces movement in the country's south, pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar cited a military source. In addition, the Lebanese hope the international agency would reject any other amendments to the mission and overturn amendments added last year.

ANWAR AMRO / AFPA Lebanese army officer briefs representatives of the five permanent UN Security Council member nations about the border situation with Israel near Naqura in southern Lebanon.

According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Lebanese military sources said the tour started from Lebanon’s army barracks in Tyre, passed through Ras Naqoura in the west, and reached Ghajar in the east.

During the tour, Shehadeh brought up an incident of Israeli boats allegedly entering Lebanese territorial waters near the Ras al-Naqoura bay area, saying it happened at the time of the tour. 

The Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen had reported on Tuesday that the Lebanese army mobilized naval forces against Israeli boats, allegedly violating what was said to be Lebanon's sovereignty.

The Blue Line is the withdrawal demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, published by the United Nations in 2000, after a war between the two countries. UNIFL are stationed as a peacekeeper force, in order to supervise the situation.