A meeting of the committee monitoring the cessation of hostilities along Lebanon’s southern border convened this morning at the UNIFIL headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura, amid a backdrop of renewed Israeli threats and ongoing violations.
The session includes participation from a Lebanese delegation headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, U.S Special Coordinator Morgan Ortagus, and representatives from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Discussions are focused on recent ground developments, stabilization measures, and technical details of the inter-party communication mechanism.
Committee Faces Criticism Over Inaction on Violations
The meeting occurs amid strong criticism that the committee has consistently ignored systematic breaches of the agreement. According to UN reports, Israeli occupation forces have committed over 10,000 violations in the past year, involving both aerial and ground attacks.
These violations have repeatedly targeted civilian and residential areas, resulting in hundreds of Lebanese casualties. Observers note that the ongoing attacks have been met with silence from the ceasefire monitoring body and a lack of effective action by the Lebanese government to pressure relevant international actors to enforce the agreement.
Renewed Israeli Threats Heighten Tensions
The discussions take place as Israeli threats against Lebanon have intensified in recent days, with indications pointing toward a potential new military escalation. The Israeli news site Walla, citing security and political sources, reported that “the chances of escalation are now high.”
According to the same outlet, Israeli leadership has delivered explicit threatening messages to Lebanon through intermediaries. The report added that Tel Aviv had expected the impact of last year’s war to enable the Lebanese state to extend its authority in the south, but concluded that “the results were the opposite.”
Source: Al-Manar English Website and NNA
