[Qwiw]

Israeli warplanes fly deep into Lebanon

Goliath
07-10-2006

Israeli warplanes fly deep into Lebanon, just two days after Israeli forces withdrew from nearly all of Southern Lebanon. Two Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace at medium alti ude over Aitaroun and headed north toward Tripoli at approximately 9 a.m., the Lebanese Army said. Two more warplanes entered Lebanese airspace over Jounieh a short while later, before heading south. They left Lebanon at approximately 10:30 a.m., according to the army. Reports from the National News Agency said the first pair of warplanes conducted a series of mock air raids over Nabatiyeh, Khiam and Marjayoun.
The second pair conducted similar maneuvers in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, Nabatiyeh, Khiam and Marjayoun, as well as the Western Bekaa Valley. The Lebanese government has complained repeatedly about the violations of its airspace and sovereignty, adding that they also constitute breaches of the UN resolution that halted the war on Aug 14.
Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin told Reuters in Jerusalem that the overflights would continue to help ensure that arms supplies do not reach Hizbullah from Syria. "Israel's redeployment along the international border does not negate Israel's right to self-defense and to assist in the implementation of the arms embargo, especially when it comes to the Syria-Lebanese border, an issue that has not yet been resolved as part of the Security Council resolution", she said. Israel completed its withdrawal from all but one small area of South Lebanon on Oct 1.

Lebanon has threatened to complain to the Security Council unless the Israelis also leave the Lebanese side of the divided village of Ghajar. Israeli forces isolated Ghajar with barbed wire and ramparts. Israeli soldiers carrying out the measures threatened to open fire on a group of Lebanese journalists in the area, according to the National News Agency. Lebanese FM Fawzi Salloukh said that Israel may also withdraw from all remaining occupied Lebanese territory. "Secret negotiations might lead to the withdrawal of the Israeli Army from the town of Ghajar, the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills", the minister told Voice of Lebanon radio. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army dispatched patrols to the Southern towns of Blida, Markaba, Kfar Kila and Adaysseh after deploying in the area on Oct 2.
Spanish troops from the expanded UN peacekeeping force in South Lebanon also patrolled Mayss al-Jabal, Houla and Markaba, Adaysseh and roads leading to Kfar Kila, Ibl al-Saki and Abbassiyeh. UN peacekeepers in South Lebanon outlined their rules of engagement on Oct 3, saying they could use force against "hostile activity", set up temporary checkpoints and, if the Lebanese Army was unable to do so, intercept the movement of unauthorised weapons.

The UN force has grown to some 5,200 international troops since the 34-day war ended on August 14 under a Security Council resolution that mandated UN troops to help the Lebanese Army patrol a border zone in the South. "Should the situation present any risk of a resumption of hostile activities, UNIFIL rules of engagement allow UN forces to respond as required", UNIFIL said in its clearest public statement yet on how its troops can operate. "UNIFIL commanders have sufficient authority to act forcefully when confronted with hostile activity of any kind". It said UNIFIL had established temporary checkpoints at key points in the South, while Lebanese troops were setting up permanent ones to stop and search traffic.
UNIFIL said the Lebanese Army would act on any specific information regarding the movement of unauthorised weapons or equipment, adding that if the army was not in a position to take such action, "UNIFIL will do everything necessary to fulfill its mandate in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701". UNIFIL listed several situations in which the peacekeepers could use force beyond self-defense. In one broad category, it said force could be applied "to ensure that UNIFIL's area of operations is not utilised for hostile activities".