U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix have briefed the U.N. Security Council on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, based on the latest report of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The Special Coordinator underlined the urgent need to de-escalate the current situation along the Blue Line. 

“Our collective focus and advocacy must be on urging the parties to exercise restraint and calling for a return to the cessation of hostilities through the full implementation of Resolution 1701 to prevent a wider conflagration that Lebanon neither wants nor can afford,” she said.

Expressing deep concern over the daily skirmishes across the Blue Line since 8 October, the Special Coordinator said the developments of the past six weeks represent the “most serious” violations of Resolution 1701 since its adoption in 2006.

“This also serves as a reminder that the full implementation of Resolution 1701 is a key entry point to realize peace, security and stability in the region,” Wronecka’s office said in a statement.

The ongoing exchanges of fire have resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, internal displacement of thousands as well as material and environmental damages.

“Notably, the danger of miscalculation and broader conflict is ever-present. In addition to the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the Special Coordinator noted that outstanding obligations remain for both Lebanon and Israel under resolution 1701,” the statement said.

The Special Coordinator reiterated the Secretary-General’s emphasis on adhering to international humanitarian and human rights law, namely obligations to protect civilians, including journalists, as well as to ensure the safety of U.N. personnel on the ground and to respect the inviolability of U.N. premises, schools and medical facilities.

“The ongoing developments have also underscored the importance of a strong and well-resourced Lebanese Armed Forces in the successful implementation of Resolution 1701, the Special Coordinator said, urging continued and further international support for Lebanon’s state security institutions,” the statement added.

Regretting that Lebanon has been without a president for over one year, the Special Coordinator said the best way to enhance Lebanon’s ability to address challenges was through functioning and empowered state institutions, particularly in times of crisis.

She said recent developments underscore the urgent need for Lebanon’s political leaders to “set aside their differences and embrace an approach that would facilitate the election of a president and the subsequent formation of a fully empowered government.”

In conclusion, the Special Coordinator reiterated “the commitment of the United Nations to continue standing by Lebanon and its people.”