Israeli troops fire tear gas at protesters on Lebanese border

Residents of Kafr Shuba had tried to tear down border fence after elderly farmer confronted Israeli bulldozer on his land

A Lebanese soldier faces off against an Israeli Merkava tank in the disputed Kfar Shuba border area in southern Lebanon. AP Photo

The Israeli army on Friday fired tear gas at protesters in the southern Lebanese town of Kafr Shuba who had attempted to tear down a barbed wire fence along the disputed border between the countries.

Some demonstrators required treatment for the effects of tear gas, reported Lebanon’s National News Agency.

“Things are heading towards further escalation,” the state news agency added.

Following the incident on Friday, the Lebanese Army announced it had sent troops to conduct extensive patrols “on the border area in Kafr Shuba, in the face of the Israeli enemy”.

Residents of Kafr Shuba were protesting in solidarity with farmer Ismail Nasser, who on Wednesday confronted an Israeli bulldozer attempting to dig a trench through his land.

The elderly farmer threw rocks at the bulldozer and refused to move from its path.

The bulldozer stopped following pressure from United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) forces, but only after it had buried Mr Nasser nearly up to his hips.

Kafr Shuba, in south Lebanon’s Nabatieh province, is located near the Shebaa Farms – territory near the occupied Golan Heights which is disputed by Lebanon, Syria and Israel.

The UN demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel and Lebanon and the Golan Heights is known as the Blue Line.

“The area where tensions have increased is one of points not agreed on [by Lebanon and Israel] with regards to the Blue Line,” said UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti.

“We’re calling on both sides to exercise restraint and avoid action that could escalate tensions,” he told The National.

The Blue Line, which was implemented to mark Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 following 18 years of occupation, passes through Kafr Shuba.

It does not constitute an official border, which remains disputed, but rather a withdrawal line.

Mr Tenenti told The National that 30 points of territorial dispute remain between Lebanon and Israel.

Flare ups often occur over Israel’s construction of concrete barriers or wire fences that Lebanon says pass through its territory.