Special report:
Israel-Lebanon
Conflicts
[Video] [Gallery]
Israel, Lebanon agree on
ceasefire
 |
|
A Lebanese ship arrives from Italy in Beirut port September 8, 2006.The Israeli government confirmed on Friday that its sea blockade on Lebanon was lifted and the monitoring of Lebanese coastline handed over to a UN-backed joint naval force.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery >>> |
JERUSALEM, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government
confirmed on Friday that its sea blockade on Lebanon was lifted and the
monitoring of Lebanese coastline handed over to a UN-backed joint naval force.
"The Italian-led task force will continue to enforce
the international embargo against the supply of armaments to Hezbollah," said
Miri Eisin, spokeswoman of the Prime Minister's Office.
Israel would reserve the right to stop arms smuggle
along the Lebanon-Syria border, a senior source of the office said.
Earlier, Italian and UN officials reportedly
announced that the blockade was over. A UN-backed joint naval force started
patrolling Lebanese coasts Friday afternoon, Lebanon's Future TV reported.
The naval force composed of French, Italians and
Greeks began patrolling Lebanese coasts under a UN mandate at 12:30 p.m.
(0930GMT), the TV said.
German forces are expected to arrive in Lebanon to
lead international naval patrols in two weeks, while UN chief Kofi Annan said
that as many as 5,000 UN peacekeepers were due to deploy in Lebanon by
mid-September.
Israel imposed air, land and sea blockade on Lebanon at the outset of its conflict with Lebanon's Shiite group Hezbollah on July 12. Enditem
