The times targeted in the November ceasefire agreement “have not been met”, according to the joint statement of the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the head of the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, and the army commander Aroldo Lázaro.
The agreement between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah had been reached after more than a year of fighting, since Israel’s war in Gaza.
“As it was sadly seen this morning, the conditions are not yet favorable for the safe return of the citizens to their places along the Blue Line,” they said, referring to the buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon.
Israel has warned Lebanese citizens not to return to their homes in the south this weekend, saying it will not withdraw due to alleged violations of the terms of the ceasefire.
Violations of resolution 1701 recorded daily
“Displaced communities, which are already facing a long road to recovery and reconstruction, are therefore asked to be careful. Also, violations of UN Security Council resolution 1701 continue to be recorded daily. “
That landmark resolution, adopted in 2006, called for the creation of a buffer zone between the countries and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
According to the terms of the agreement reached at the end of November, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw its forces from the area by Sunday.
‘There’s a lot at stake’
The Special Coordinator and head of UNIFIL said “the compliance of both parties with their obligations under the November agreement and the full implementation of resolution 1701 includes. the only way to close the latest, dark chapter of the conflict and open a new one, heralding safety, stability and prosperity on both sides of the Blue Line..”
At the same time, the UN will continue to consult with all stakeholders in this regard and remains ready to support any action consistent with resolution 1701 and the efforts of the Action Plan to achieve the goals of the November Agreement.
“With so much at stake for Lebanon and Israel, a renewed commitment is urgently needed on all sides,” they said in a statement.
A lot has changed since the end of the war
UN officials said a lot has changed in Lebanon since the Cessation of Hostilities Understanding came into effect on November 27, 2024.
The violence has decreased significantly, and in many areas of southern Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of people have been able to return to their towns and villages.
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have shown determination by deploying to positions where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are withdrawing, UN officials said.
With the support of UNIFIL, the Lebanese Forces are helping to restore services and facilitate the access of aid to the communities most affected by the conflict, they said.
The ongoing process of government formation, after the election of the president and the appointment of the prime minister, is an important step in building trust between the citizens of Lebanon and the Kingdom, they explained. These events also clearly indicate the possibility of support for the full extension of the state’s authority over the entire territory of Lebanon and for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and growth of the country.
UNIFIL soldiers are ready
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) remains deeply concerned by reports of Lebanese civilians returning to towns where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are still present and wounded by Israeli fire, according to the mission’s statement on Sunday.
At the request of the Lebanese Armed Forces, UNIFIL peacekeepers are deployed to locations indicated by the Lebanese Armed Forces throughout the mission’s operational area to monitor the situation and help prevent any further escalation.
“However, crowd management remains outside our mandate,” according to UNFIL, tasked with supporting the implementation of resolution 1701.
‘The IDF must stop shooting Lebanese civilians’
“It is important to avoid the escalation of the situation,” said the UN peacekeeping unit, urging the people of Lebanon to follow the instructions of the LAF, aimed at protecting human lives and preventing the escalation of violence in southern Lebanon.
“The IDF must refrain from shooting civilians in the Lebanese territory. “Further violence risks destroying the fragile security situation in the region and the possibility of stability brought about by the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a Government in Lebanon,” said UNIFIL.
The UN campaign emphasized the importance of the full implementation of resolution 1701 and the termination of the fighting plans through the established means, including the complete withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon, the removal of any unauthorized weapons and equipment south of the Litani River, the redeployment of the IDF to Lebanon. The Lebanese Armed Forces throughout southern Lebanon and to ensure the safe and dignified return of displaced civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
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