Special report: Israel-Lebanon Conflicts [Video] [Gallery]    

Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire    

    BEIRUT, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon on Tuesday lodged a complaint to the UN Security Council against Israel for imposing an air and sea blockade on the country, saying Israel breached international law and violated the Resolution 1701 by continuing the blockade.

    Accusing Israel of "violating the international law," Lebanon also urged UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to double his efforts to lift the Israeli siege.

    In a statement, Lebanese Foreign Ministry called the lifting of Israeli siege an "urgent" matter, and that it had sent two letters regarding the issue, one to Annan and the other to the rotating UN Security Council president.

    In the two letters, Lebanon said that Israel, still imposing air and sea blockades against the country, was careless about UN Resolution 1701 and violated its sovereignty.

    The Israeli siege was blocking efforts by the Lebanese government and the international community to assist the needy, rebuild the country and deploy the forces to restore order, said the statement.

    Security Council Resolution 1701, which halted a war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah last month, calls for the reopening of Lebanese ports and airports under the authority of the Lebanese government.

    Israel imposed a blockade and launched massive military offensive against Lebanon on July 12 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 keep its blockade until a UN peacekeeping force takes control of south Lebanon to guarantee the safety of the Jewish state. Enditem