Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Yehuda Blum, said today that the Lebanese government’s abrogation of the May 17 agreement was “unilateral” and that Israel is still committed to the agreement.
Speaking at a press conference here, the envoy said that Israel will do “everything to ensure the security of northern Israel” and ensure that south Lebanon will not become once again a “staging ground” for terrorist attacks against Israeli towns and citizens.
Asked if that means that the Israel Defense Force will stay permanently in south Lebanon, Blum replied that Israel supports the territorial integrity of Lebanon. “We have no territorial ambitions” regarding Lebanon, Blum said, adding that Israel seeks “the full withdrawal” of all foreign forces from Lebanon.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
