UNIFIL denounced on Sunday the incursion of two Israeli Merkava tanks, destroying “the main gate” and stopping “around 45 minutes”. The UN recalled that attacks “against peacekeepers” could “constitute a war crime”.
At least five peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been injured in recent days during fighting between Israeli forces and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon. On Sunday, UNIFIL said two Israeli tanks were “entered by force” in one of its positions. “At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two Israeli army Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate and forced their way into the position”remaining there “around 45 minutes”indicated the peacekeepers. Two hours later, “shots caused smoke” which triggered “skin irritations and gastrointestinal reactions in 15 peacekeepers who received treatment”.
On the side of the Israeli army, we minimize by ensuring that a tank “who was trying to evacuate wounded soldiers while coming under enemy fire (Hezbollah, Editor’s note) fell back several meters and hit a UNIFIL post..
UNIFIL also demands “explanations” to the Israeli army which it accuses of having blocked one of its movements on Saturday near Meiss el-Jabal, in southern Lebanon. “This crucial movement could not be carried out”UNIFIL said. Earlier in the week, the organization claimed that the Israeli army was shooting “deliberately” on its positions.
On Sunday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, to put the Blue Helmets “take shelter immediately”. In the evening, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, recalled that “attacks against peacekeepers are a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law. They may constitute a war crime“.