BREAKING NEWS

Lebanese officials reject Israeli demand to remove Hezbollah tent

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib rejected an Israeli demand to remove a tent set up by Hezbollah in Israeli territory, insisting that the tent is in Lebanese territory and demanding that Israel withdraw from the northern half of the town of Ghajar on Monday.

Bou Habib stated that during a meeting with UNIFIL Commander Aroldo Lázaro on Monday "the security situation in the south was discussed, and they conveyed to us the demand of the Israeli side to remove the 'tent.' Our response was that we want them to retreat from northern Ghajar, which is considered Lebanese territory. From our side, we recorded about 18 Israeli border violation."

In a later meeting with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea, Bou Habib stressed the need to demarcate the land borders between Lebanon and Israel in tripartite meetings, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

Bou Habib additionally informed the two that Lebanon intended to file a complaint with the UN Security Council concerning Israel's presence in the northern part of Ghajar.

Additionally on Monday, Lebanon's speaker of parliament, Nabih Berri, stated that the tent set up by Hezbollah is on Lebanese territory, adding that "what is required of the international community is to oblige Israel to implement Resolution 1701 and to withdraw from the northern part of the village of Ghajar, the Shebaa Farms, the Kfarchouba hills, and point B1 [north of Rosh Hanikra]."