From the Blue Line to 1701: Concepts Behind Israeli-Lebanese Relations

The initiated attack against IDF forces operating within Israeli territory in the Blue Line is in blatant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701


Arnon Ben Dror/Jonatan Urich
http://dover.idf.il
03 August '10

UN Security Council Resolution 1701 was approved on August 12, 2006, two days before the end of the Second Lebanon War, and called for a complete ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The resolution called for the Hezbollah terror organization to disarm and to cease all violent activities against Israel, and emphasized the Lebanese government’s responsibility to see this through. According to the resolution, Israel and Lebanon would have to honor the Blue Line, an internationally recognized border between Israel and Lebanon, and to avoid crossing it.

Moreover, the Security Council determined the size of the force to operate under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be 15,000 soldiers and expanded its authority through expanding its resources, in order that this peacekeeping force would be able to prevent any and all provocations and violent activities in southern Lebanon.

The resolution states that the UNIFIL force will “take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces as it deems within its capabilities to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind, to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council.”

The resolution also calls for the release of abducted Israeli soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, and to disarm all armed militias operating in Lebanon.

The Blue Line: an internationally recognized border between Israel and Lebanon

The Blue Line is an international border between Israel and Lebanon which was determined by the United Nations after the IDF withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000. Aside from some slight differences, this is in fact the line towards which the IDF withdrew upon conclusion of Operation Litani in 1978, according to UN Security Council Resolution 425. From the First Lebanon War until 2000, IDF forces remained beyond this border line. However, upon the Israeli government’s decision for a one-sided withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the IDF forces returned to Israel and remained, with recognition by the UN of a complete withdrawal by Israel to her authorized and legitimate borders.

The Blue Line is a temporary line which has not been mentioned in any official agreements between Israel and Lebanon, and which is based on the international border which was determined by the countries in 1923. That being said, it is recognized as a de facto border between the two countries.

During the Second Lebanon War in 2996, the IDF crossed the Blue Line and operated there for the duration of a month. However, upon completion of the war and the approval of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, IDF withdrew behind the internationally recognized border line.

On Tuesday morning (Aug. 3), IDF forces operated within Israeli territory on the Israeli side of the Blue Line borders, where the IDF has routinely operates in an agreed-upon manner since the end of the Second Lebanon War. Gunshots fired by the Lebanese army towards IDF forces constitute a blatant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and an attack on Israeli sovereignty.

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