Another Arab Citizen Flees to Lebanon without Israeli Army Detection

 A general view shows central Tel Aviv backed by the Mediterranean Sea January 23, 2012. REUTER/ Nir Elias
A general view shows central Tel Aviv backed by the Mediterranean Sea January 23, 2012. REUTER/ Nir Elias
TT

Another Arab Citizen Flees to Lebanon without Israeli Army Detection

 A general view shows central Tel Aviv backed by the Mediterranean Sea January 23, 2012. REUTER/ Nir Elias
A general view shows central Tel Aviv backed by the Mediterranean Sea January 23, 2012. REUTER/ Nir Elias

Another Arab citizen from Israel has managed to cross the border into Lebanon without the Israeli army detecting them. The Israeli army was only aware of the situation after Lebanese media had reported on the matter.

The Israeli army spokesman said that intelligence services were examining Lebanese reports about an unidentified individual slipping across the border fence from Israel to Lebanon on Sunday.

According to the reports, the individual was arrested by the Lebanese intelligence after crossing the border in the Marj Oyoun valley.

He is currently being investigated by the Lebanese judiciary.

This is the second time within a week that a person crossed the border fence from Israeli territory into Lebanon.

Last week, Lebanese media reported that another person entered through the border with Israel.

The person crossed the border near the village of Dahira, which is parallel to the village of Aramsha on the Israeli side in the Western Galilee. It was reported in this incident as well that the Lebanese intelligence caught the suspect and put him under investigation.

Lebanese media also reported that the person who crossed the border last week is Farid Nizar Taher, a 30-year-old Arab Israeli.

The Israeli army said that “a person has been identified who crossed the border fence from Israeli territory into Lebanese territory. A dialogue is taking place in the coordination and liaison channels.”

An Israeli army spokesman revealed that his country was contacting intermediaries like UNIFIL to return the citizen home.

Last March, forces from the Israeli army discovered that a young man had crossed the border into Lebanon, so soldiers pursued him and arrested him while he was on Lebanese soil and returned him to the country, where the intelligence services interrogated and arrested him.

Borders between Israel and Lebanon extend over 145 kilometers, from Ras al-Naqoura on the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Shebaa Farms and Mount Hermon in the east.



Lebanon Joins Middle East Green Initiative

 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
TT

Lebanon Joins Middle East Green Initiative

 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister announced that the country has joined the Middle East Green Initiative, launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to mitigate the impact of climate change on the region.

“This is an essential step for Lebanon, especially since our southern villages and towns have been exposed to significant environmental and agricultural damage due to Israeli attacks, which requires cooperation with all of Lebanon's friends,” a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers quoted Mikati as saying.

Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan welcomed Lebanon’s participation in the initiative, confirming that a high committee has been established to ensure the project’s sustainability and facilitate relevant cooperation.

He noted that the timing of the announcement “comes in light of the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, and this matter must be drawn to attention, especially since Israel is destroying very large areas, whether agricultural lands, fruit trees or forests.”

Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said that the Middle East Green Initiative has very important goals to plant 40 billion trees across the region and protect the Gulf and the Middle East from climate change, stop land degradation and desertification and find the means to adapt to future challenges.

The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture estimates that more than 2.8 million square meters of forest and agricultural land were completely burned, while about 6.7 million square meters of agricultural and forest land were partially damaged as a result of Israel’s attacks and its use of internationally-banned incendiary munitions.