Foreign Ministry Says Israeli Ammunition Caused Khirbet Selm Blast
The Lebanese foreign ministry reportedly informed the United Nations that the Khirbet Selm explosion on July 14 went off in a building under construction and the ammunition was left over by the Israeli army.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said Monday that the foreign ministry informed the U.N. about the alleged cause of the blast through a letter. The world body, however, has said that the explosion went off at a Hizbullah weapons depot in violation of Security Council resolution 1701.
Meanwhile, An Nahar newspaper quoted informed sources as saying that a meeting could be held Monday at the Tebnin Serail between UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano, Lebanese army intelligence representatives, MPs Hassan Fadlallah and Ali Bazzi, and Khirbet Selm mayor.
The sources said efforts were exerted to contain the July 18 clash between Khirbet Selm residents and U.N. peacekeepers by holding a meeting between the two sides. But it was later agreed to hold the talks in Tebnin after the attempts to bring the two sides together failed over disagreement on several minor issues.