UN soldiers in Lebanon say an Israeli tank fired at one of their watchtowers. The Merkava tank opened fire near Kfar Kela early in the morning, the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL said in a statement on Wednesday. The tower was damaged and two cameras were destroyed. There was initially no statement from Israel.
“Once again we see direct and apparently deliberate fire on a UNIFIL position,” the statement said. The UN observers called on the Israeli military “and other actors” to fulfill their obligations and ensure the safety of UN personnel and property. The sanctity of the United Nations and its property must be respected.
UNI has repeatedly shelled UN positions
UNIFIL positions have also been attacked since the start of an Israeli ground operation against Hezbollah militia positions in southern Lebanon. Five peacekeepers were injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called on the UN to withdraw UNIFIL troops from combat areas in southern Lebanon. However, the European troop contributors rejected this request after a joint video conference on Wednesday.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP), who took part in the conversation, subsequently reported that there was agreement among the 16 EU countries involved “that the mission will remain in place”. “A withdrawal or failure to fulfill the mandate would call into question or undermine the meaning and importance of the United Nations. We cannot allow that, especially not in the current phase,” Tanner emphasized to the APA. The ministers also agreed that attacks on UN soldiers would be “considered a violation of international humanitarian law.”
160 Austrian soldiers in Lebanon
Currently, approximately 160 Austrian soldiers are stationed in Lebanon. Among the European countries most heavily involved are Italy with more than 1,000 soldiers, Spain with around 680 and France with 670. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force, which has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978, totals more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians. Since Resolution 1701, adopted by the UN Security Council after the Lebanon War in 2006, the tasks of the Blue Helmet forces have been significantly expanded. The resolution stipulates, among other things, that only UNIFIL and the troops of the Lebanese army may be deployed in the border area with Israel. Hezbollah stayed there anyway. Israel also violates Resolution 1701 with its military activities in southern Lebanon.
In an interview, Netanyahu stated that he had “absolutely nothing against UNIFIL.” “It is true that Hezbollah often hides behind UNIFIL positions to fire rockets at us,” Netanyahu told Figaro. He regretted that Resolution 1701 had not been implemented since 2006. The Lebanese militia ‘dug hundreds of tunnels and shelters, where we just found a lot of advanced Russian weapons. How many Hezbollah missiles has UNIFIL repelled in almost two decades? Zero!” said the Israeli Prime Minister.
Source: Krone
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