June 25, 2007 - New York - The American Jewish Committee, in letters to members of the UN Security Council, expressed shock and outrage over the incident yesterday in southern Lebanon when five UN peacekeepers were killed. "This most recent incident underscores the volatility of the situation in Lebanon and along the Israeli-Lebanese border," wrote AJC. "Hezbollah's repeated and systematic violations of Security Council Resolution 1701 pose a serious threat to peace and security along the Israeli-Lebanese border and within Lebanon itself." The full AJC letter follows: Excellency: We write to express the American Jewish Committee's shock and outrage over the killing yesterday of five members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon. The five peacekeepers, three Colombians and two Spanish, were killed in two attacks on UN vehicles, apparently involving the use of car bombs. We extend our deepest condolences to the governments of Colombia and Spain, the United Nations and the aggrieved families. This most recent incident underscores the volatility of the situation in Lebanon and along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Hezbollah's and other terror groups' continuing efforts, with the active support of Iran and Syria, to undermine the elected government in Beirut endanger the achievements of the Cedar Revolution of February 14, 2005, which was a significant step toward greater democracy in Lebanon. They also pose a serious threat to bring that country to another civil war. Syria played a nefarious role in last summer's hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. Damascus has never recognized Lebanon as a sovereign state; and although Syrian troops officially withdrew from Lebanon in April 2005, Syria has not fully complied with Security Council Resolution 1559, operating in Lebanon through proxies, most notably Hezbollah. Nor has Syria complied with Security Council Resolutions 1595 and 1636, requiring full cooperation with the international independent commission charged with investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik El-Harriri. Only two weeks ago, another critic of Syria, Member of Parliament Walid Eido, was killed in what was widely described as yet another Syrian orchestrated assassination. We are concerned over the dangerous situation created by Hezbollah's repeated and systematic violations of Security Council Resolution 1701. These violations pose a serious threat to peace and security along the Israeli-Lebanese border and within Lebanon itself. Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has repeatedly stated that his organization possesses all means of warfare, and is transferring weapons to the "front," meaning southern Lebanon - an admission that Hezbollah is violating the provisions of Resolution 1701 and spoiling for war. We call upon the Security Council to take the necessary measures to uphold its resolutions regarding Lebanon and to strengthen the UN's peacekeeping role in southern Lebanon - providing a more robust mandate to UNIFIL and authorizing it to act against illegal armed militias. Last summer's hostilities along the Israeli-Lebanese border should serve as a warning against the dangers involved in acquiescing to the current escalation. Respectfully, Richard J. Sideman |
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