Lebanon's March 14 calls for Arab support

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 15 (UPI) -- The Western-backed March 14 alliance in Lebanon called for action on a national dialogue strategy to prevent a regional war.

March 14 Secretary-General Fares Soueid called on members to pressure the Arab League to back Lebanon's defense as tensions with Israel mount, Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper reports.

A seven-point measure proposed by March 14 during a weekend conference in Beirut called on the Arab League to support enforcement of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.

Resolution 1701 brokered a cease-fire to a 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The measure reminds Israel of its obligation to respect Lebanese sovereignty while calling on Hezbollah to disarm.

Beirut is wrestling with the issue of Hezbollah's weapons. A 2009 measure allows Hezbollah to maintain an armed resistance to deter an Israeli threat, though opponents argue Israel would have no need to threaten Lebanon if Hezbollah disarmed.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a report last week to the Security Council called on both sides to strengthen cease-fire commitments.

U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon said Friday that two Israeli tanks maintained a position near a demilitarized zone near the border with Lebanon.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri didn't attend the March 14 talks because of an official visit to Germany during the weekend.