UN envoy urges Israel to end flights over southern Lebanon

Reacting to a spate of air violations by Israel which brought anti-aircraft fire from Lebanese territory, a United Nations envoy to the region today called for an end to the overflights.

Staffan de Mistura, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, voiced “deep concern over the continuing and numerous Israeli air violations of the Blue Line,” which marks the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel.

On Tuesday 11 Israeli air violations were recorded, with reports indicating that jets flew over areas of southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa. Anti-aircraft fire from Lebanese territory followed.

Warning of a “high escalatory potential that threatens the calm that all parties have stated they seek,” Mr. de Mistura repeated his call on the Israeli authorities to halt their air violations.

The UN “reminds all parties of their obligations to refrain from any violation of the Blue Line, and that one violation cannot justify another,” he stressed in a statement released in Beirut.