UN Security Council renews the UNIFIL in south Lebanon

Diplomats at the UN said yesterdays that members of the UN Security Council approved the extension for authorizing the UN peace keeping forces in South Lebanon UNIFIL for another 6 months. This was, however, after the UN secretary general extended it for the risks of renewed conflict in the region.

Those diplomats said that the 15 members of the UN security council will unanimously adopt this week a decision that provides for renewal of the UN forces until January 2005.

Last week, the spokesman for the UN urged both Israel and Hizbullah to practice maximum self control two days after a tension in the south because of what he called " provocative acts" made by the two sides.

Annan said in a report on July 21, in which he called for the renewal of authorization in South Lebanon, that while Lebanon and Israel are trying to avoid damaging stability in the region " there is still an important danger to the escalation of acts of violence, leading the sides to conflicts."

Once again, the report urged the Lebanese government to exert efforts to fill the security vacuum resulted from the Israeli withdrawal from the south. It also urges Israel to stop violating the Lebanese airspace and Hizbullah party not to fire anti- shelling accross the borders.