UN peacekeepers warn against sensitive activities on Lebanese-Israeli borders

UNIFIL

BEIRUT, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warned on Friday against conducting any works or activities that could lead to tension near the Lebanese-Israeli borders, the National News Agency reported.

The UN agency's spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said that "UNIFIL peacekeepers are on the ground at the works site to monitor if there is any violation of the Blue Line, reduce tension and prevent misunderstandings."

"We are in constant contact with both parties and stress the sensitivity of any works or activities close to the Blue Line," he added.

Tenenti's remarks came two days after rising tensions on Lebanon's southern border as an excavator from the Israeli side crossed the demarcation line between the two countries, prompting the Lebanese army to halt Israeli military engineering work.

The border has been mostly quiet since Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah, except for some tensions on the border caused by Palestinian factions in Lebanon occasionally firing on Israel in the past.