Top Israeli and Lebanese officers met Monday under the auspices of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force, to discuss disputes that arose following the IDF's construction of an obstacle on the northern border. The meeting took place in UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura, in southern Lebanon.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has received complaints from the Lebanese army, claiming that the Israeli wall violated Lebanese sovereignty in 13 points of territory that belongs to Lebanon but is located on the Israeli side of the U.N.-designated Blue Line, which demarcated Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.
The Israeli military said construction is taking place on sovereign Israeli territory.
Lebanese military officials said they would not allow the IDF's work to continue construction at the disputed locations, warning that it could trigger an offensive response.
IDF officials declined to comment on Lebanon's warning, noting only that Monday's meeting was routine.
Disagreements over the wall and Lebanon's plans to explore for offshore oil and gas in disputed maritime waters have elevated tensions between Israel and Lebanon, home to the powerful Iran-backed Shiite terrorist group Hezbollah.
"The Lebanese side reviewed the matter of the wall which the Israeli enemy intends to build [and] confirming the position of the Lebanese government, it rejects the construction of this wall as it violates Lebanese sovereignty," the Lebanese army said in a statement after Monday's meeting.
A UNIFIL statement said the meeting had received great attention "due to engineering works south of the Blue Line previously announced by the Israeli side."
UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Michael Beary noted there had been a "period of relative calm" since the last tripartite meeting.
"However, there has been a great deal of activity along the Blue Line. I would like to acknowledge the restraint exercised by both parties in decreasing tension and maintaining stability. No one wants to return to a period of escalating tensions and a breach of the cessation of hostilities," he said.
