BEIRUT, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Information Minister Tareq Mitri said on Wednesday that the trees cut down by Israeli troops which led to deadly border clashes with Israel "were on Lebanese soil," contradicting a statement by the UN peacekeeping force saying the trees were on the Israeli side of the shared border.
"The trees were south of the Blue Line, but in Lebanese lands," Mitri told a press conference in Beirut, noting "the Blue Line is not the international border, and Lebanon always has its reservations about it. Yet, Lebanon has always respected the line. "
Israel notified the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) that "it will cut the tree. Yet, the Lebanese called on the UNIFIL to hold the process until its forces arrive in the scene," Mitri added.
"The Israeli forces acted without coordination with the UNIFIL, which was considered a provocation by the Lebanese army," he said.
Mitri also said that the Lebanese army "fought alone," as the government did not ask Hezbollah to act.
Earlier in the day, UNIFIL military spokesman Lieutenant- Colonel Naresh Bhatt said in a statement that the trees cut down by Israeli troops were on the Israeli side.
