Footage of mine detonation in Lebanon
(Video: Amir Shoshani)
Work to remove landmines put in place by the IDF ahead of its 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon, is endangering Israeli residents of the north. In addition to the noise of the controlled explosions, which occur just tens of meters away from the Israeli border and shake residents' homes, the detonations also cause fragments of rocks to fly across the frontier, endangering lives and causing damage to property.
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David Azulai, mayor of the border town of Metula, said in a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan, and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, that he demands their immediate intervention. He criticized the government and the UN for how they were dealing with the crisis. "It’s a complete failure,” he said. “It’s simply terrifying. I woke up at 7:00 a.m. to four explosions. You can’t live like this. The Lebanese do whatever they want a short distance away from the residents' homes, and the IDF is helpless."
"We receive an estimated time of detonation, but there’s no warning before the actual explosion, and it startles everyone," the town's top security official said. "The residents are informed about the situation, but it’s distressing nonetheless.”
The explosions also endanger pedestrians along Metula’s promenade. A few weeks ago, Ofir Lieberman’s solar pannels, providing his home with electricity, were damaged. He lives just 100 meters from the border.
"The explosion was very close and seemed deliberate rather than accidental," Lieberman said. "The rocks from one of the explosions hit one panel of the solar power system and destroyed it. We only receive a general notice from the municipality that explosions will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and we are expected to be fine with it. The Lebanese also don't place sandbags in the area areas to minimize and prevent the chance of debris flying towards the Israeli side," he said.
"When detonating landmines, there are clear international rules that demand safety precautions, protective measures, prior warning, and real-time warning with a siren, but nothing is being done," a former municipal official said.
Contrary to other areas in southern Lebanon where operations to clear landmines are carried out by UNIFIL forces, the mines near Metula are dealt with by a civil contractor hired by the Lebanese government. Some in the Israeli town argue that the Lebanese government is working under the instruction of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which conducts military drills to prepare for infiltrating Israel close to the border.
Some officials in Metula claimed that UNIFIL is obligated to take charge of the operation and clear the mines in a responsible manner. The IDF is struggling to deal with the situation, partly due to a lack of cooperation from the Lebanese side.
UNIFIL’s spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Ynet that the Lebanese operation is carried out in coordination with the IDF, and that they weren’t aware of any complaints. Tenenti added that all complaints will be looked into, and will be given the proper consideration in cooperation with the military.