CAIRO, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Monday summoned Israeli ambassador to Egypt Shlomo Cohen and urged Israel to lift the Israeli blockade on Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, the official MENA news agency reported.

    Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit assigned his Assistant Egyptian Foreign Minister for Arab and Mideast Affairs Hany Khalaf to summon Cohen, the report said.

    Abul Gheit said Egypt would continue its contacts to achieve this end, adding that the issue would be raised in his meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan during his visit to Egypt on Tuesday.

    The Egyptian top diplomat noted that Israel was using all kinds of pressure to achieve its goals, calling on the international community, including the Arab countries and the Arab League, to stand up against the Israeli attempts.

    On July 12, Israel imposed blockage and launched massive military offensive against Lebanon after Lebanese Hezbollah guerillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in cross-border attacks.

    Although the 34-day-long fighting between the two sides came to a cease-fire on Aug. 14 thanks to the UN Resolution 1701, Israel has vowed to maintain its blockage until a UN peacekeeping force takes control of south Lebanon to guarantee the safety of the Jewish state. Enditem