BEIRUT, Nov. 13 — The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) began restoring and reinstalling blue boundary markers along the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel on Wednesday, said UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel.
The markers, damaged last year, are intended to prevent misunderstandings, accidental crossings, and help maintain stability in the area, Pokharel said in a statement.
The Blue Line, established by the UN in 2000 to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, was further formalized with marker installations agreed to by Lebanon, Israel, and the UN in 2007.
Meanwhile, according to UNIFIL sources, Lebanese army intelligence, and local witnesses, the Israeli army has begun building a concrete wall at Jal al-Deir, behind a newly established military post in Mount al-Bat, about one kilometer inside Lebanese territory.
A Lebanese intelligence source said Israeli forces, backed by tanks, have completed roughly 35 meters of a six-meter-high wall.
However, the Israeli military told the Jewish News Syndicate that the barrier lies fully within Israeli territory, rejecting “unverified reports” of extensions beyond the Blue Line into southern Lebanon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Wednesday that Beirut has yet to receive an official Israeli response to proposals for negotiations to reclaim occupied territory.
“Talks have only addressed the principle of negotiation, not the details,” he said. A ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, brokered by the United States and France, has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, largely ending the clashes triggered by the war in Gaza.
Despite the agreement, Israel continues occasional strikes in Lebanon, citing threats from Hezbollah, and maintains forces at five key points along the border after a Feb. 18 deadline for full withdrawal passed. (Xinhua)
