UN peacekeeping force accuses Israeli army of invading position

South Lebanon
UN peacekeeping force accuses Israeli army of invading position

Soldiers from the UN peacekeeping force (Unifil) patrol the Lebanese-Israeli border

Soldiers of the UN peacekeeping force (Unifil) patrol the Lebanese-Israeli border (archive image)

© Taher Abu Hamdan / XinHua / DPA

Soldiers are said to have used two tanks to “forcibly” penetrate a Blue Helmet soldier post. Israel’s army later provided a purported explanation for the incident.

The The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (Unifil) has accused the Israeli army of using tanks to penetrate a position of the peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and also of blocking their troop movements. Early Sunday morning, two Israeli tanks destroyed the main gate of the position in the Ramia area and entered “forcibly,” Unifil said in a statement. The Israeli soldiers withdrew again after 45 minutes.

The Israeli army said it had learned that one of its tanks attempted to evacuate wounded soldiers while under fire. He retreated “several meters” to a Unifil base. He later left the base again.

Unifil also complained that on Saturday, Israeli army soldiers “blocked and blocked a crucial Unifil logistical movement near Mais al-Jabal.” Unifil called on the Israeli authorities to provide explanations and spoke of “shocking violations”.

International criticism of Israel’s actions

In the escalating conflict between the Israeli army and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping force there is increasingly finding itself caught between the fronts. Five peacekeepers were injured in clashes in southern Lebanon in recent days, which drew sharp international criticism.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday to bring the peacekeepers out of the danger zone. His Defense Minister Joav Gallant had previously emphasized that Israel’s armed forces would “take measures” to protect the soldiers of the peacekeeping force.

The Unifil peacekeeping force has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978 and includes more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians. Since Resolution 1701, passed by the UN Security Council after the Lebanon War in 2006, the tasks of the Blue Helmet Force have been significantly expanded. The resolution stipulates, among other things, that only Unifil and Lebanese Army troops should be deployed in the border area with Israel. Hezbollah remained there regardless.

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AFP

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