Israel's planned withdrawal from the northern part of Lebanon's border village of Ghajar did not entail a full implementation of UN resolution 1701, Lebanese state- run National News Agency (NNA) quoted an UN official as saying on Sunday.
In an exclusive interview with NNA, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said while an Israeli withdrawal from northern Ghajar was a step forward in implementing UN resolution 1701 which put an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon, but it did not mean that the resolution has been implemented, Xinhua reported.
"Then of course there are other issues, such as the Israeli overflights. So it doesn't mean resolution 1701 has been implemented," he said.
In November Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed the UN Security Council of his country's intention to withdraw from northern Ghajar.
Israel acquired Ghajar when it occupied the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967. While it withdrew from the northern section of the border village in May 2000, it retook it following a ground invasion in its 2006 summer war with Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah.
The village, which straddles the border between Lebanon and Israeli-occupied Syrian territories, counts 2,200 residents, the majority of them hold Israeli identification papers. Many citizens have voiced concerns that a division of the village could separate families and businesses.
Williams admitted to NNA that the residents issue was a "big issue" that has yet to be resolved. "These people have their rights, their concerns and their worries, so we find a way of moving forward on this," the UN official said.
Commenting on the political deadlock in Lebanon, Williams said Lebanon was going through "another difficult phase."
Tensions have mounted in Lebanon over the indictment to be issued by a UN-Backed court probing the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is set to accuse members of Hezbollah of committing the 2005 assassination.
Hezbollah slammed the STL an "Israeli project" and blatantly refused to cooperate with the court.
Williams expressed optimism that there was always a way out of the crisis. He said Lebanon's two main powerbrokers Syria and Saudi Arabia "want to find a way forward."
But it needs to compromise and not a party nor a side can completely monopolize, said Williams.