UN naval patrols begin in Lebanese waters after Israel lifts its blockade

Following the lifting of Israel’s blockade against Lebanon, United Nations naval vessels began patrolling alongside their Lebanese counterparts today to secure the country’s maritime border ahead of the deployment of a full task force in the coming weeks, the UN force announced.

A Naval Operations Centre has been set up at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in Naqoura in the south of the country to coordinate all operational details and Italian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi is leading the interim maritime force.

“The Force is now operational and I understand that the naval blockade is lifted,” said UNIFIL commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini. “The blockade has seriously undermined the Lebanese economy and it is high time for it to end so as to allow the people to get back to their businesses.”

Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the start of the UN naval patrols, and said in a statement that the interim task force will remain in place “until the maritime component of UNIFIL is fully assembled and deployed in the coming weeks.”

In a related development, UNIFIL said that a team of UN police, border and military security experts will deploy in Lebanon tomorrow at the request of the Lebanese Government to help monitor coastal entry points, Beirut International Airport and the land border, as well as to identify areas in which the world body might provide technical assistance.

Regarding the situation on the ground in the south, UNIFIL said that Lebanese troops started deploying today in areas left by the withdrawing Israeli army as stipulated by Security Council resolution 1701 that ended the 34 days of fighting on 14 August.

UNIFIL, which is coordinating the troop movements, confirmed that all Israeli troops had left yesterday from the areas of Al Bayyadah, Tayr Harfa, Shihin, Al Jibbayn, Bustan, Yarin and Al Duhayra. It was the first time Lebanese troops had taken up positions in some of the towns in these areas in more than 30 years.

There are currently more than 3,200 UNIFIL personnel in Lebanon and a further 200 logistics personnel from France are expected to arrive over the weekend, a UN spokesman told reporters in New York.