23 June 2017

The United Nations on Friday rejected Israeli claims that Hizbullah militants were establishing observation posts along the border under the cover of an environmental NGO.

The Israeli military on Thursday published pictures of a building near the Israeli-Lebanese border supposedly controlled by an organization called Green Without Borders.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission UNIFIL reported that Green Without Borders members have planted trees in the area, but it “has not observed any unauthorized armed persons at the locations or found any basis to report a violation of resolution 1701,” said U.N. spokeswoman Eri Kaneko.

Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, had sent a letter of protest to the Security Council with images of the alleged observation posts and maps locating them.

Dannon described the activities as a “dangerous provocation” and said Hizbullah was carrying out reconnaissance activities near the Blue Line border demarcation while posing as a civilian organization.

Israel fought a month-long war against Hizbullah in 2006, killing more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and more than 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

Resolution 1701 was adopted to end the war, calling for full respect of the Blue Line.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231910-u-n-rejects-israeli-accusations-of-hizbullah-posing-as-green-ngo
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Israel Accuses Hizbullah of ‘Dangerous Provocation’ – Naharnet

22 June 2017

Israel on Thursday accused Hizbullah of expanding observation posts along Lebanon’s border under the cover of an environmental NGO, in what it called a “dangerous provocation.”

The Israeli military published pictures of a building near the frontier supposedly controlled by an organization called Green Without Borders.

“Hizbullah is thus conducting observation missions by claiming they are activities of this environmental organization,” General Hertzi Halevi, who heads the military intelligence services, told a security conference at Herzliya near Tel Aviv.

According to Israeli media reports, the organization is controlled by Hizbullah, which Israel considers among its top threats and against which it fought a devastating 2006 war.

Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, sent a letter of protest to the Security Council with images of the alleged observation posts and maps locating them.

“The well-documented proof of Hizbullah’s dangerous provocation verifies that Hizbullah conducts reconnaissance activity near the Blue Line (U.N. border demarcation) and disguises it as civilian activity, in clear violation” of U.N. Security Council resolutions, said Danon.

“Hizbullah’s continued military buildup and destabilizing activities in southern Lebanon have serious repercussions on both regional stability and the ability of the Lebanese government to effectively control its country,” Danon added.

“The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Hizbullah’s flagrant violations” of its commitment to keep out of the border zone, he said.

Israel says the environmental group has received funding in the past from Hizbullah.

A blog connected to the group says “for the sake of realizing our aims, we have an agreement of understanding and cooperation” with Industry Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, who represents Hizbullah in the Lebanese Cabinet. The blog has not been updated since 2015, and a message sent by The Associated Press to a contact was not immediately returned.

UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, said it was looking into the Israeli allegations. There was no immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or Hizbullah.

Israel and Hizbullah fought a monthlong war in 2006 that ended in a stalemate. Hizbullah, an Iranian-backed group, has since built up an arsenal that is now believed to include well over 100,000 missiles and rockets aimed at Israel.

Although Hizbullah has suffered heavy losses backing up the forces of President Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war, Israel considers the group to be a serious threat. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of airstrikes in Syria on suspected arms shipments bound for Hizbullah.

Addressing a security conference on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Halevy called on UNIFIL to carry out its “duties” — “not only in keeping the peace, but in removing the possibility of war.”

Source
Agence France Presse
Associated Press

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/231861-israel-accuses-hizbullah-of-dangerous-provocation