Speaker: Relations between south Lebanese citizens, UNIFIL strong

BEIRUT, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri Wednesday said that relations between the citizens in south Lebanon and the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are strong and unbreakable, local NBN TV reported.

Berri's statement came days after the fist fighting Saturday between Lebanese Shiite protesters and UNIFIL soldiers in south Lebanon, resulting in 14 peacekeepers slightly injured.

The incident in Khirbet Selm village in south Lebanon was "a misunderstanding with which was resolved and forgotten," Berri said after meeting with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman at Babbda palace, according to the report.

He also said "Israel is trying to exploit what happened in the south in order to create a gap between Lebanon and UNIFIL," adding that the Israeli moves are to cover what happened in (Lebanese hill) Kfarshouba."

Israeli forces set two weeks ago a new advanced unmanned post on the Lebanese hill of Kfarshouba, while later last week Lebaneseinhabitants marched across the border to the post and set the Lebanese and Hezbollah flag on the disputed area.

Berri also expressed optimism about the formation of a new cabinet in the country, saying the "Saudi-Syrian rapprochement and understanding" would help form the cabinet close to the end of July.