The Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Committee held a session today, Wednesday, in the parliamentary council, chaired by MP Fadi Alama, with the presence of MPs: Agob Baqradounian, Pierre Bou Assi, Selim Sayegh, Michel Douaihy, Ali Assirian, Nasser Jaber, Adnan Traboulsi, Qassem Hashem, Jimmy Jabbour, and Nada Bustani. The UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Joanna Froniska, was also present.
After the session, MP Alama stated: "The Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Committee held a meeting with the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Ambassador Joanna Froniska, focusing on Resolution 1701 and the current situation in the south, especially yesterday's attacks that led to the martyrdom of a member of the Lebanese army. This act is condemned and denounced and is at the responsibility of the UN and the international community."
He added: "We emphasized during the meeting several key points, including clarification from us as MPs on the committee that the violations came from Israel, which has been violating Lebanon's airspace, sea, and land since 2006, and has not stopped there, but uses Lebanese airspace to target objectives in Syria. There was also a focus on reviewing the reports issued about UNIFIL, which confirm the reality of Israeli violations of Resolution 1701 over the years. Additionally, we discussed the Israeli criminality and the martyrdom of children in Gaza and the responses occurring in southern Lebanon, which violate Resolution 1701 in the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba hills."
He continued: "It was confirmed that the responses from southern Lebanon are defensive against Israeli violations and violations of Resolution 1701. We also presented the issue of the Israeli enemy's extensive use of phosphorus bombs in southern Lebanon without any deterrence. The martyrdom of a soldier is denounced and represents a violation of Resolution 1701."
Alama noted: "Questions were raised about the Security Council's position regarding Resolution 1701 as highlighted in the media. The esteemed ambassador confirmed that the atmosphere in the UN is not as portrayed, and there is insistence, like Lebanon's position, on adhering to Resolution 1701, and that the issue of amendments is speculation in the media."
He stated: "Regarding the massacres in Gaza, there was a discussion that everything we see contradicts international law, and we call for accountability for this Israeli criminality against the Palestinian people." He also pointed out that "the topic of displaced persons was addressed, and the ambassador confirmed that the UN understands Lebanon's reality and the sacrifices it has made, especially regarding its difficult economic and social situation. From our side, we reiterated the proposals made by the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding displacement. We focused on the fact that aid for Syrian displaced persons should be halted in Lebanon and should continue with the return of displaced individuals to inside Syria."
