Israel begins building 33 ft high wall on Lebanon border

The Israeli army has begun building a wall that will run several kilometres along part of its border with Lebanon, a military spokeswoman has said.

“This construction, which began on Monday, is being carried out in co-ordination with UNIFIL (more…)

Targeting sustainable tourism in Southern Lebanon

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the Union of Tyre Region Municipalities held today a workshop in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to raise awareness about responsible eco-tourism in the framework of green economy and sustainable development. (more…)

France to cut peacekeeping force in Lebanon by nearly 30%

France will cut the number of its troops participating in a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon by 400 to around 1,000 by the summer to speed up a transfer of responsibility to Lebanese forces, the French foreign ministry said on Tuesday. (more…)

Lebanon: UN Chief is ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over Hezbollah Arms

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon who is in Lebanon on an official visit said on Friday that he is “deeply concerned” over the lack of disarmament of the militant and political group Hezbollah.

At a press conference Friday not far from Hezbollah’s Beirut base, Mr. Ban said he encouraged Lebanese leaders (more…)

Hezbollah rejects accusations of involvemment in UNIFIL bombing

Hezbollah slammed on Thursday March 14 officials for accusing the party of involvement in the attack that targeted a UNIFIL patrol last week in the southern city of Tyre, calling the accusations “dangerous and unacceptable”.

Hezbollah warned against the repercussions of such behavior by March 14 officials . (more…)

French accusations put Syria’s allies in spotlight

France says it believes Syria was behind an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon. While Paris has no proof, Damascus has plenty of armed supporters who might try to destabilize Lebanon to divert attention from its own turmoil.

Foreign Minister Alain Juppe blamed Syria on Sunday, singling out its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah which holds sway in southern Lebanon (more…)

Syria denies attacking French UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon

Syria rejected on Monday a French accusation that it was behind an attack which wounded five French soldiers from the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon last week. (more…)

Major battle in Syria; shops shut by strike

Syrian troops and army defectors have fought one of the biggest battles in Syria’s nine-month uprising while a protest strike shut businesses in a new gesture of civil disobedience, residents and activists said. (more…)

France suspects Syria is behind bombing its troops in Lebanon

France’s foreign minister says he suspects that Syria was behind a bombing that wounded five French troops in Lebanon.

A Lebanese bystander was also hurt in Friday’s attack on a vehicle carrying the U.N. peacekeepers.

Alain Juppe told RFI radio on Sunday that France had “strong reason to think that this attack comes from there.”

He said France believes Hezbollah was involved but has no proof. (more…)

Perpetrators underestimated the speed of UNIFIL vehicle

MTV quoted security experts as saying that the bomb that targeted the French UNIFIL patrol near the city of Tyre in south Lebanon on Friday weighed 10 kg ( 22 lbs).

The experts also revealed that the perpetrator detonated the bomb by remote control from a distance of about 150 meters (more…)