High ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed foreign ambassadors today on the current reality in southern Lebanon in order to encourage contributing countries to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon to support a more determined and effective implementation by UNIFIL of it's mandate. A ministry statement said, "Such action should be expressed both by increased and proactive presence of UNIFIL on the ground as well as in the reports transmitted by UNIFIL to its headquarters in NY, reports that should properly and accurately portray reality in the area."
The briefing came ahead of the Wednesday's scheduled Security Council discussion on the implementation of Resolution 1701, which ended 2006's Second Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah. The ministry said, "The Security Council must not turn a blind eye to the growing Iranian influence in Lebanon and the extensive military build-up of Hizbullah forces in southern Lebanon, as they pose a threat to the stability of the country."