BEIRUT: Israeli flags placed along a major coastal highway in southern Lebanon violate a UN Security Council resolution, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon said on Monday, calling on all parties to avoid actions that could further raise tensions.
Israel’s military invaded parts of southern Lebanon during its conflict with Hezbollah earlier this year and established what it described as a security zone intended to prevent attacks on northern Israel by the Iran-backed group.
A video shared on Sunday by Israel’s Channel 12 journalist Amit Segal showed Israeli flags displayed along the Naqoura-Tyre coastal road, a key route in southern Lebanon that is also used by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
Unifil spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said peacekeepers had observed several Israeli flags inside Lebanese territory, including recently along the coastal road and in the village of Naqoura.
Ardiel said the presence of the flags breached UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
“As always, we call on the IDF and all actors to cease violations of the resolution and avoid any provocative action that could increase tensions or trigger further violations,” Ardiel said.
The UN force’s warning comes amid continued tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, where violations and military activity have raised concerns about further escalation.
