A/HRC/3/2 page 19 32. Since 1978, the Security Council has adopted a number of resolutions calling, inter alia, for an end to violence, the protection of civilians, respect for Lebanese sovereignty, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the exercise of Lebanese authority throughout the country.4 Pursuant to Council resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978), UNIFIL was deployed, with three purposes as set forth in resolution 425: (a) confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces; (b) restoring international peace and security; and (c) assisting the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area. UNIFIL mandate has been regularly renewed.5 33. On 22 October 1989, members of the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies signed the Taif Agreement. This agreement called for national reconciliation and for “spreading the sovereignty of the State of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory” through a one-year plan that included the “disbanding of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias”. The militias’ weapons were to “be delivered to the State of Lebanon within a period of six months”.6 34. On 16 June 2000, the Secretary-General informed the Security Council that Israel had withdrawn its forces, in accordance with resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978), and had met the requirements set out by the Secretary General in his report of 22 May 2000 (S/2000/460) to the Council.7 35. Despite the Israeli withdrawal, sporadic armed operations along the Israeli-Lebanese southern border continued to oppose the Israeli armed forces to Hezbollah militia, mainly on the grounds of Israel’s continued occupation of the Shab’a farms. The Shab’a farms area was occupied by Israel in 1967. In 1981, Israel decided to extend the application of Israeli law to the occupied Shab’a region. The Security Council, in resolution 497 (1981) of 17 December 1981, condemned this action and declared it “null and void and without international legal effect”. Lebanon considers the Shab’a farms as part of its territory, as indicated in the Memorandum of 12 May 2000 addressed to the Secretary-General on 12 May 2000.8 The Hezbollah leadership has pledged to continue opposing Israel as long as it continues its occupation of the Shab’a farms area. As stated by the Secretary-General, representatives of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic have repeatedly stated that the Shab’a farms area belongs to Lebanon and not to Israeli-occupied Syrian territory. However, the Secretary-General has also recalled that “the determination by the United Nations of the status of the Shab’a farms is without prejudice to any border delineation agreement between the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon”.9 36. On 2 September 2004, the Security Council adopted resolution 1559 (2004) which reiterated the Council’s strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. It called upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Council for the full implementation of that and other relevant Council resolutions. It aimed among other things, at the disarmament of Hezbollah, as well as the retreat of Syrian troops which, according to the Secretary General, were the only significant foreign forces deployed in Lebanon as at 30 September 2004.10 As reported by the Secretary-General, on 26 April 2005, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic reported that it had completed its full withdrawal of Syrian troops, military assets and the intelligence apparatus from Lebanon, as required by Security Council resolution 1559 (2004).11 37. Hezbollah is a Shiite organization that began to take shape during the Lebanese civil war. It originated as a merger of several groups and associations that opposed and fought against