The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, informed the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, after a meeting held at the Presidential Palace of Baabda, of Lebanon’s wish for a renewed the mandate of UNIFIL without change of the latter also welcoming the adoption of a new budget for the benefit of UNIFIL, on June 30, by the UN General Assembly.
Also present at this meeting were the Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and General Stephano Del Col, Commander of UNIFIL who recently presented to the UN Security Council a report on the implementation of resolution 1701. of the UN Security Council. The President is moreover committed to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in all its aspects, also calling on the United Nations to oblige Israel to respect the various resolutions passed in the context of the Israeli-Arab conflict.
The head of state underlined the role played by the UN forces which have succeeded in maintaining peace at the southern borders since the conflict of July 2006, cooperating on the spot with the Lebanese Army. General Aoun also recalled and condemned the numerous violations of Lebanese airspace by Israeli fighter planes which carried out attacks there against Syria.
The last conflict between Lebanon and Israel in July 2006 left more than 1,000 civilian deaths, including 30% of children under 12, on the Lebanese side, 150 dead, mostly soldiers, on the Israeli side and Hezbollah losses are estimated. to 320 Hezbollah fighters according to the Hebrew state. The Shiite movement recognizes the loss of 62 men.