Security Council Draft Bill Calls for Ghajar Deal, Not Withdrawal
A draft bill being circulated at the U.N. Security Council on extending UNIFIL”s mandate calls for an agreement over the northern part of Ghajar instead of a complete Israeli withdrawal as stipulated by Resolution 1701, al-Akhbar daily reported Saturday.
The bill calls for UNIFIL enforcements to allow the peacekeepers to "move freely in the south, resist attempts to forcibly obstruct their tasks and to conduct an assessment of UNIFIL”s missions every six months." It also calls for boosting the Lebanese army”s capabilities.
France distributed the bill on Security Council members on Friday and will be discussed during the Council”s meeting on August 27, the paper said.
The draft also "stressed on the need to consider events last month in Khirbet Selim as a flagrant violation" of Resolution 1701. It however failed to "deplore" the Israeli violations, threats and espionage networks.