Ban Not Aware of Imminent Israeli Plans to Attack South Lebanon
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that he was not aware of Israeli threats to attack civilian areas if there was any aggression on the Jewish state from south Lebanon.
"I”m not aware of any imminent Israeli plans. But whatever the situation may be, again, it was a source of great concern that there were serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701," he said during a press conference in New York.
Al-Akhbar newspaper said Thursday that Israeli army officials had made a threat during a tripartite meeting held in Naqoura earlier in the week to attack civilian areas in the south against the backdrop of the explosion of an arms depot in Khirbet Selm.
Ban said U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams and UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano are consulting on this matter with the Lebanese Army and government, as well as with Israeli government officials to prevent any further violation of 1701.
He said there have been encouraging developments of the situation politically, and in terms of security and stabilization in Lebanon.
"All the parties concerned should fully cooperate, so that this fragile peace and political stability should be able to maintain its own course," Ban told reporters.
The U.N. chief added that he hoped the Israeli government would look at all the pending issues to be resolved.