France calls for UN debate on IDF-Lebanon clash

[Purveyor]

By Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies

The French ambassdor to the United Nations said Thursday that Paris wants the UN Security Council to discuss and react to the Wednesday night border clash between the Israel Defense Forces and the Lebanese Army.

"We think that the council should have an exchange of views on this issue, which is an important one," France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere told reporters.

---snip---

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Thursday denounced what he called Israel's violation of the Lebanese border, saying IDF troops crossed the internationally-recognized border line prior to the exchange of fire between the two countries' forces. The incident was the first of its kind since the aftermath of last summer's war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Siniora discussed the border clash with UN envoy Geir Pedersen, telling him that his government condemned what he described as the new Israeli aggression on Lebanon's sovereignty and what he called the violation of the Blue Line, the UN-recognized border between the two countries.

---snip---

Israel rejected Lebanese claims that it had violated Lebanese sovereignty, saying that the force was south of the international border - inside Israel - as delineated by the United Nations following the IDF pullout from southern Lebanon in May 2000. In some places, the border and the fence are several dozen meters apart.

---end of excerpt---

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/823212.html

[bemildred]

1. Interesting quote:

"Our way of thinking has changed," the officer said. "Before the war, the approach was that confrontation was bad for us, and therefore we kept away from the fence. Now the approach is that we will operate up to the Blue Line and if the other side seeks a confrontation, it will get it," the officer said.

[Solo_in_MD]

2. The recent discovery of munitions in the gray area has everyone spooked

and as the article pointed out there is some abiguity about the border. Some sources indicate that the incident was at 2:00 AM and involved a miltiary bulldozer which could not have made it any easier.

[pelsar]

3. what gray area?

the border is clearly marked...every 30m or so there is a concrete pillar with a blue painted top..hard to miss

[Solo_in_MD]

4. Per the article...

Earlier this week, four explosive devices were discovered in the area. IDF sappers detonated them from a distance.

The IDF carried out yesterday's operation after informing UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army of its intentions.

In response, the Lebanese Army warned the IDF that if its forces violated Lebanese sovereignty, it would open fire.

The IDF said that it did not intend to cross into Lebanese territory, but if its forces were attacked, it would respond.

Israel rejected Lebanese claims that it had violated Lebanese sovereignty, saying that the force was south of the international border - inside Israel - as delineated by the United Nations following the IDF pullout from southern Lebanon in May 2000. In some places, the border and the fence are several dozen meters apart.

Lebanese officials said an IDF bulldozer crossed the international border and entered about 18 meters into Lebanon.

A spokesman for UNIFIL, however, confirmed the exchange was initiated by the Lebanese Army after an IDF bulldozer crossed the border fence "in an apparent attempt to clear mines between the Blue Line (international border) and the fence."


The issue is that the posts are not always exactly on the border. This has lead to confusion in the past, and apparently here as well. IDF thought it was just inside the border, the Lebanese thought otherwise. Lebanon got a few shells tossed its away in addition to the exchange of fire. The statement from UNIFIL seems to back the IDF.