13 June 2023; MEMO: Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on Monday for the UN peacekeeping forces in his country to put pressure on Israel to stop its violations of Lebanon's sovereignty, and stop its ongoing groundworks using armoured bulldozers within Lebanese territory.
Mikati made his appeal during a meeting with Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, the head of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the prime minister's office in Beirut, said Lebanon's Council of Ministers. "Lebanon reaffirms its commitment to the provisions of UN Resolution 1701 and coordination with UNIFIL to maintain stability along the borders," the council quoted Mikati as saying.
The southern border has witnessed increased tension since last Friday, when Israeli forces clashed with Lebanese citizens protesting against Israel's construction of a barrier near the border. Claiming that the barrier was being built on Lebanese territory, the protesters threw stones at the Israeli forces, who responded by firing tear gas grenades.
