U.S. Concerned About Hizbullah Activity, Hints it Isn”t Seeking UNIFIL Mandate Change
Washington has reiterated that it was concerned about alleged Hizbullah attempts to rearm but hinted that it was not seeking to change the mandate of U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon.
"We remain extremely concerned about … the role Hizbullah is playing in Lebanon, including its attempts to rearm in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions," State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said in response to a question on Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak”s threat that the Jewish state will find itself extremely free to launch a military operation on Lebanon no matter what the consequences will be.
"I haven”t seen the comments by the Israeli defense minister," Wood said Wednesday during a press briefing, adding "Hizbullah continues to pose a threat to peace and security in the region."
He reiterated that the Obama administration fully supports the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
When asked how he reads or views Barak”s threat, Wood reiterated that the Israelis, Washington "and others are very concerned about the type of activity that Hizbullah has been engaged in."
Wood also told reporters that he has nothing new to add on the issue of U.S. pressure on Syria to demarcate the border with Lebanon.
Meanwhile, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice told reporters following a Security Council debate on peacekeeping operations that she met with UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano, who told her that the peacekeeping mission”s mandate and troop levels are "appropriate."
"The most important thing at this point is reinforcing the political will of both parties to uphold the obligations in 1701," Rice said.
When asked if the U.S. was requesting an amendment to UNIFIL”s mandate, Rice said: "I didn”t say that. I said we are looking at it. I am not prepared to say one way or another. But obviously the recommendations of the force commander and other senior personnel on the ground are very important to us."
"As with all these peacekeeping operations, we will review them," she stressed.
Israel had officially asked the Security Council to amend UNIFIL”s Rules of Engagement following the explosion of an alleged Hizbullah arms cache in Khirbet Selm last month.
The Council is expected to extend the mandate of the peacekeeping force for another year during a session on August 27. It will also hold on August 20 a consultative session on challenges facing UNIFIL.
During Wednesday”s Security Council meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy underscored that effective partnerships are the cornerstone of the world body”s new vision for peacekeeping.
The so-called New Horizons process seeks to "reinvigorate the peacekeeping partnership," he told the 15-member body.
Issued last month as a non-paper by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS), it examines how such a revitalized partnership could boost management and oversight, he said.
At the end of the open debate, the Council welcomed the non-paper”s assessments and recommendations in a presidential statement, encouraging the U.N. Secretariat to continue with providing planning and support for peacekeeping missions.
Furthermore, the statement said the body "recognizes the need to weight the full range of responses when addressing a situation which may endanger international peace and security, and to deploy U.N. peacekeeping missions only as an accompaniment, not as an alternative, to a political strategy."