The alarming developments in Lebanon and the region come after about a year of near-daily fighting along the Green Line, a buffer zone separating Israel and Lebanon.
On September 20, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Lebanon, following an increase in cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as explosions of communications equipment that caused many casualties targeting members of the group.
UN Security Council spokesman Stephane Dujarric urged all parties to immediately reduce tensions, exercise maximum restraint, cease hostilities and fully implement Security Council Resolution 1701.
The alarming developments in Lebanon and the region come after about a year of almost daily fighting along the Green Line, a buffer zone separating Israel and Lebanon, said Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
UN officials stressed that these clashes violated the ceasefire and violated Resolution 1701.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said that Israel's increased military activities, including targeting civilians, violated basic principles of international humanitarian law. He called on the Security Council to condemn the recent attacks and implement Resolution 1701.
"We are entering a new danger zone and as new technologies are used and developed, we need to emphasize the need to respect existing legal obligations," noted Samuel Zbogar, the representative of Slovenia, which holds the presidency of the UN Security Council for September.
He also called on the Security Council to act before the situation spirals out of control, stressing that diplomacy is the only way forward.
TB (summary)