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A UNIFIL peacekeeper waves from his armored personnel carrier as he patrols the Lebanese-Israel border. (Reuters)
Last update - 10:13 02/07/2008
UN troops in Lebanon forced to delete images of covert cables
By Yoav Stern and Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Israel, UNIFIL, Lebanon 

Soldiers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were forced by local Lebanese residents to delete photos of suspicious-looking underground cables, according a report submitted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

The incident constitutes the second time in recent months that the work of the peacekeeping force has been restricted because of pressures from local residents - this in strict violation of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War that brought the UNIFIL forces to south Lebanon.

According to the UN secretary general's report, on May 28, UNIFIL peacekeepers located cables that were buried in southeast Lebanon.
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They proceeded to take photographs of the cables, and were subsequently surrounded by local residents who hurled stones at them and in turn took pictures of the soldiers themselves.

The incident was brought to an end only after UNIFIL agreed to delete the photos, despite the fact that UN policy permits the use of cameras by the peacekeeping forces.

The report, the seventh released on the implementation of Resolution 1701, also said that UNIFIL increased the number of its observation posts in the Shaba Farms area, and called on Israel to accept one of the solutions that has been offered to end its presence in the northern section of the border village of Rajar.

The report also emphasized the fact that Israel and Lebanon need to visually delineate the border through clear border markings. There are currently nine markings on the border - in the form of blue barrels - that have been approved by both Israel and Lebanon.

Regarding the presence of the Israel Air Force in Lebanese skies, the report states that in the last several months, Israel has increased its flyovers, which constitute a violation of UN Resolution 1701.


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      1.   Tell me again what purpose the UN serves? 03:15  |  Arie 02/07/08
      2.   UN - toothless tigers or assisting terrorists 03:18  |  Adrian de Klerk 02/07/08
      3.   UNIFIL Paparazzi... 03:40  |  Jeff Northridge 02/07/08
      4.   UNIFIL FARCE 04:15  |  Fred 02/07/08
      5.   UNIFUL-of-it forced to dance the Lambada 04:16  |  Avi 02/07/08
      6.   Totally useless UNIFIL as usual!! 04:17  |  Free Gilad Shalit 02/07/08
      7.   in lebanon territory, it`s lebanese! 04:18  |  bashar 02/07/08
      8.   UN is utter garbage 04:43  |  McQueen 02/07/08
      9.   they stone peacekeepers 04:48  |  judith 02/07/08
      10.   1701 is not about inspecting communication wires! 05:02  |  Dutch Dirk 02/07/08
      11.   UNI-FAIL 05:07  |  Brian 02/07/08
      12.   #4 You want a bet? 05:27  |  Gili 02/07/08
      13.   Imagine if they actually tried to prevent illegal arms 05:51  |  guy 02/07/08
      14.   Will not be the first time UN has lied & covered up for Hesbala 06:01  |  PETER SM 02/07/08
      15.   Solution: Put the peacekeepers on the Israeli side of the border 06:09  |  Natallie Durson 02/07/08
      16.   dutch dirk 06:15  |  Connie 02/07/08
      17.   Dutch Dirk moron 06:24  |  sabra 02/07/08
      18.   The israeli overflights are also breaking the rules of res 1701 06:31  |  Aounist 02/07/08
      19.   welcome to Hezbanon 06:58  |  Dan 02/07/08
      20.   #12 - Right Natallie 07:03  |  JES 02/07/08
      21.   Recovering deleted photos 07:03  |  Daniel 02/07/08
      22.   DIRK.UNIFIL 1701 is about disarming all militias & replacing them 07:04  |  PETER SM 02/07/08
      23.   Basher, it seems that the `rights` of Hezbanon are limitless 07:06  |  Dan 02/07/08
      24.   DURSON.Will that make Lebanon into less of a warlord jungle? 07:11  |  PETER SM 02/07/08
      25.   Dutch Jerk, UN resolution 1701 does not cover idi ots like you 07:15  |  Dan 02/07/08
      26.   Durson: How Quickly You Forget 07:21  |  Brad 02/07/08
      27.   Supply the link 07:25  |  Mark Lincoln 02/07/08
      28.   UNIFIL = WASTE OF MONEY AND OIL SPENT ON USELESS NOBODIES! 07:52  |  OLMERT=CRIMINAL 02/07/08
      29.   THE UN IS A PART OF THE ARAB LEAGUE ! NOTHING MORE! 07:53  |  WARRIOR 02/07/08
      30.   THE UN ARE TERRORIST COLLABORATORS! PROVEN! 07:54  |  WARRIOR 02/07/08
      31.   Bashar # 5 07:55  |  Philippe 02/07/08
      32.   Can the UNO be trusted ? 08:00  |  Jean Van Daem 02/07/08
      33.   #13 Solution: Have UNIFIL Do Its Job! 08:03  |  DesMnsDave 02/07/08
      34.   UN has become a servant of Hezbollah. 08:08  |  VLAD 02/07/08
      35.   #23 - What does VoIP have to do with it? 08:27  |  JES 02/07/08
      36.   Bashar is right - Iranian foreign occupiers out! 09:30  |  Joe Sittizen 02/07/08
      37.   Let`s put the UN peacekeepers in Durson`s computer room 09:34  |  Joe Sittizen 02/07/08
      38.   ISRAEL SHOT WITH GUNS, NOT STONES 09:35  |  indrajaya 02/07/08
      39.   What else are they concealing? This is why Israel overflies Leb. 09:37  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/07/08
      40.   Can`t trust arabs to keep a deal 09:38  |  Denise Thompson 02/07/08
      41.   Bashar it`s your land but you signed an agreement 09:39  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/07/08
      42.   LEBANESE LOCALS ARE RIGHT 09:40  |  indrajaya 02/07/08
      43.   "LEBANESE RESIDENTS"..........??? 09:46  |  Robert 02/07/08
      44.   LOL @ article`s pic 09:46  |  Denise Thompson 02/07/08
      45.   unifil 09:48  |  pierre 02/07/08
      46.   They must want to be bombed again... 09:51  |  ScotGuy 02/07/08
      47.   UNIFIL job description: Human shields we have to care about 10:01  |  Denise Thompson 02/07/08
      48.   Did you know that Mohammed married Aisha when she was 6 years old 10:11  |  Maronite 02/07/08
      49.   Brad from Canada - who is forgetting what??? 10:12  |  Marcos 02/07/08
      50.   Communication Cables Part of Lebanon`s Defense Against Israel 10:39  |  Johan Odin 02/07/08
      51.   #40 You can not trust jews too, Denise 10:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/07/08
      52.   Maronite 10:56  |  another maronite 02/07/08
      53.   #50 odin and the sovereign lebanon NOT 11:00  |  victor hardman 02/07/08
      54.   Yaakov Sulivan - antisemite and undercover cameljockey 11:01  |  WWACD 02/07/08
      55.   To Another Maronite. Can I say I am "Human" instead of "Maronite? 11:13  |  Maronite 02/07/08
      56.   re #1 `Tell me again what purpose the UN serves?` 11:24  |  Colin Wright 02/07/08
      57.   Just a thought. 11:26  |  Colin Wright 02/07/08
      58.   #3 Jeff Northridge 11:27  |  Chris linthwaite 02/07/08
      59.   re #9 `they stone peace keepers...` 11:28  |  Colin Wright 02/07/08
      60.   Gili, Dan and others 11:30  |  FreeOne 02/07/08
      61.   Maronite again 11:43  |  another maronite 02/07/08
      62.   UN troops 11:52  |  Ralph 02/07/08
      63.   #15 For Natalie Durson 11:55  |  Urani Diot 02/07/08
      64.   #56 colin re #40 DT 11:57  |  Erez 02/07/08
      65.   to Yaakow sullivan 12:07  |  Harry 02/07/08
      66.   #55 Maronite, in Saudi-Arabia it is legal to marry a one-year old 12:19  |  AliciaYasmeen 02/07/08
      67.   ODINare you saying Hesballa is the government of Lebanon? 12:22  |  PETER SM 02/07/08
      68.   Uran iDiot 12:22  |  Natallie Durson 02/07/08
      69.   Forget trusting Jews Yakoub Suleiman, what about trusting you 12:26  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/07/08
      70.   Uran I - diot 12:56  |  Marcos