Israel has been accused of expanding its occupation of southern Lebanon by building a concrete wall that extends beyond the Blue Line, the UN-monitored demarcation between the countries.
The Lebanese presidency has said the wall is “an infringement on Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity”. It has instructed Foreign Minister Youssef Raji to submit a complaint to the UN Security Council.
The Israeli wall touches the outskirts of the town of Yaroun. Resident Ali Qassem said Israel began construction months ago. “This is a clear escalation from the Israeli side. The Israelis came, created a state, took the land and the whole world supported them,” he added.
He said construction work was continuing at the border. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have forced reconstruction efforts from last year's war, and even basic clearing efforts, to halt completely in Yaroun, as well as other areas in southern Lebanon.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said last Friday that the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (Unifil) had called on Israel to remove the wall.
Where is Israel's wall?
The concrete wall, sou
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