Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Perfidy, thy name is UNIFIL.

UNIFIL delivered its quarterly report to the UN Security Council and gave Hezbollah the proverbial pass reports the Jerusalem Post
The quarterly report on UNSC resolution 1701 submitted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday does not accuse Hizbullah of violating the terms of the cease-fire, despite Israeli allegations that the Shi'ite militia has retaken its border positions and continues to amass rockets and other arms banned under the resolution.

"Israel maintains that Hizbullah is continuing to build its military presence and capacity [not only] north of the Litani River but also in [the] UNIFIL area of operations, in both open and urban areas, including private houses," the report states. "To date, it [UNIFIL] has found no evidence of new military infrastructure in the area of operations."However, the report goes on to list a number of incidents, including one involving "armed elements," though it stops short of mentioning Hizbullah by name.
(…)
There has been no significant change in the border security arrangement along the Eastern frontier of Lebanon with Syria, the report states. Due to deterioration of security in Lebanon in early May and the resignation of the government later that month the UN was unable to dispatch a team of experts to carry out a border assessment, but suggests that the team will sent out as soon as possible.

According to the report, UNIFIL recorded and protested an "unprecedented number" of violations by Israel of Lebanese airspace. The report said violation occurred at an average rate of more than 20 times a day in March and April.
The operative phrase is - ‘has found no evidence of new military infrastructure in the area of operations’. If UNIFIL will not patrol at night nor confronting guys with guns and if incidences - like this one are the guidelines (Ha’aretz):
Soldiers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were forced by local Lebanese residents to delete photos of suspicious-looking underground cables, according a report submitted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

The incident constitutes the second time in recent months that the work of the peacekeeping force has been restricted because of pressures from local residents - this in strict violation of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War that brought the UNIFIL forces to south Lebanon.

According to the UN secretary general's report, on May 28, UNIFIL peacekeepers located cables that were buried in southeast Lebanon. They proceeded to take photographs of the cables, and were subsequently surrounded by local residents who hurled stones at them and in turn took pictures of the soldiers themselves.

The incident was brought to an end only after UNIFIL agreed to delete the photos, despite the fact that UN policy permits the use of cameras by the peacekeeping forces.
It is no wonder.

No comments: