UN says made no request to Israel on Shebaa Farms

JERUSALEM, July 11 (Reuters) The United Nations and Israel denied an Israeli newspaper report today that the world body had requested Israel transfer the disputed Shebaa Farms area on the Lebanese border to UN peacekeepers.

''The UN has not asked the government of Israel to hand over the Sheeba Farms to the UN,'' a UN official said.

''The UN's cartogropher (mapping experts) continues his work and will be visiting the area (Shebaa) shortly. The secretary-general remains engaged on the issue.'' Israeli officials also denied the report.

The Haaretz newspaper reported the United Nations, which has long held the Shebaa Farms were inside Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces in the 1967 Middle East war, had now determined the zone was inside Lebanon.

Syria and Lebanon say the 15-square-mile disputed patch is Lebanese. The Lebanese villagers show visitors their deeds to land in the area.

Haaretz said the UN had proposed to senior Israeli government officials that Israel withdraw from Shebaa Farms and that the area be considered international territory to be controlled by U.N.

peacekeepers in Lebanon.

Haaretz said Israel was treating the issue ''with kid gloves'' out of concern a public statement by the UN could lead to renewed conflict with Hezbollah guerrillas.

Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war a year ago.

The UN Security Council resolution that halted the fighting asked Syria to sign with Lebanon a clear border agreement.

Beirut has proposed that the Shebaa Farms should temporarily become an enclave controlled by the UN peacekeepers until a border agreement is reached.

In September, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would be willing to discuss the status of the Shebaa Farms, but only if Lebanon disarmed Hezbollah.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said: ''The fundamental problems today are the continued rearmanent of Hezbollah from Syria in direct violation of the resolution and the continued military buildup of Hezbollah.'' Citing Israel's control of Shebaa Farms, the guerrilla group has disputed the UN's finding that Israel's troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 was complete.

The origin of the dispute dates back to the French colonial period. France drew maps of the shared border but used old data and did not send out surveillance teams.

Reuters KK GC1752