Secretary-General condemns rocket attack from Lebanon on Israeli town

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly deplored the rocket attack launched from southern Lebanon at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, calling it the most the serious violation of the Blue Line since the end of last year’s war in the region.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban described yesterday’s rocket attack – which media reports say damaged roads and vehicles but caused no casualties – as “an attempt to destabilize the situation in Lebanon.”

The statement stressed the importance of respecting and fully implementing Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day conflict last year between the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Hizbollah, and called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.

Mr. Ban said he had been assured by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as well as by Lebanon’s armed forces, “that they will do their utmost to apprehend those responsible for this violation and will continue their close cooperation to prevent any further attacks.”

Security Council members added their voices to that of Mr. Ban, calling the rocket attack a serious breach of the cessation of hostilities after last year’s war and “a flagrant violation” of the Council resolution ending that conflict.

In a statement to the press, Ambassador Johan Verbeke of Belgium, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, commended the Lebanese Government’s commitment to find the perpetrators of the bombing and reaffirmed the Council’s full support.