UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement through his spokesperson statement Hope expressed that the agreement would “put an end to the violence, destruction and suffering that the people of both countries are facing.”
“The Secretary-General calls upon the parties to fully respect and expeditiously implement all their commitments made under this Agreement,” the statement said.
He called on parties to take immediate action for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).
“Both the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stand ready to support the implementation of this agreement in line with their respective mandates,” the statement said.
Compromise, a starting point
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hannis-Plasschart described the agreement as an important moment in restoring the safety and security of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
“This agreement is the starting point of an important process based on the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006),” he said in a statement.
The Security Council resolution, adopted after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, calls for a cessation of hostilities along with respect for the “blue line” between the Israeli and Lebanese armed forces.
Jeanine Hannis-Plasschert stressed that it would no longer be enough to implement the proposal at will.
“The status quo of implementing only selected provisions of resolution 1701 (2006), while paying lip service to other provisions, will not be enough,” he warned.
Time to deliver concrete results
Special Coordinator Jeanine Hannis-Platshart called on both sides to show unwavering commitment to the ceasefire agreement.
He commended them for seizing the opportunity to close “this disastrous chapter” and reminded them of the next steps.
“Now is the time to build on today’s achievements with concrete action.”
The cease-fire agreement came after more than a year of heightened tensions along the Blue Line. Civilians on both sides suffered violence, with thousands killed and thousands more displaced.