UN mission chief says relative Lebanese-Israeli border stability not to be taken for granted

BEIRUT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Stefano Del Col said on Thursday that the relative stability on the border between Lebanon and Israel in the past cannot be taken for granted following the recent exchange of fire between the two countries.

"While we have seen 15 years of relative stability on the border, recent incidents show that we cannot take this for granted," Del col said in a statement released by the UNIFIL.

In recent days, several serious incidents have occurred across the Blue Line, the UN-backed Lebanese-Israeli border demarcation, including rockets fire from southern Lebanon into Israel that drew retaliatory artillery fire by Israel.

Del Col said the UNIFIL has engaged all its mechanisms to prevent further escalation, noting the UNIFIL cannot allow any actions that would put stability in jeopardy.

"I call for the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to continue liaising closely with UNIFIL to decrease tension, prevent escalation, and avoid unilateral action in this very sensitive period," he said.