Shots fired at Unifil base, “it’s getting bad”

Israel is focused on fighting Hezbollah and asks UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon to move north. This is the recommendation that came a few hours after the headquarters of the UN mission and two Italian bases were hit by gunfire from the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces, causing the wounding of two peacekeepers.

“Our recommendation is that UNIFIL move five kilometers north to avoid danger as the fighting intensifies and the situation along the Blue Line remains unstable due to Hezbollah’s aggression,” said the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, in a note.

According to what Axios and Walla news journalist Barak Ravid reported on social media, citing senior Israeli officials and officials of the UN mission itself, “in recent days UNIFIL rejected the Israeli request to evacuate the peacekeeping forces of the United Nations from their positions in southern Lebanon, near the border with the Jewish state”.

“The terrorist organization Hezbollah operates in and near civilian areas in southern Lebanon, including areas close to Unifil positions”, the IDF position in a note. On the morning of October 10, “IDF troops operated in the Naqoura area, next to a Unifil base. As a result, the IDF ordered UN forces in the area to remain in protected spaces, after which the forces opened fire in the area.”

Despite the attack, Italian military sources in Lebanon reiterate that “we remain in our bases to do our duty as long as we are allowed from the UN and Defense”.

“For now we’re staying”, but “it’s getting bad“, for his part, a United Nations official declared to the Washington Post, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The UNIFIL peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon are increasingly in danger”, their “security is increasingly at risk”, he said. said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of the UN Department for World Peace Operations, speaking at the United Nations Security Council: “The continued commitment of the countries that contribute troops” to UNIFIL, “as well as the continued united support of this Council are more important than ever,” he added. The peacekeepers “remain in their position” for the most part while the risks to them are being assessed, he continued, citing limitations in UNIFIL’s ability to act due to the operations that the IDF is conducting.

The Israeli embassy in Italy

“Israel appreciates the assistance of Unifil donor countries, especially Italy, and thanks them for their efforts to prevent an escalation in our region.” This is the note from the Israeli embassy recalling that “since 8 October Hezbollah has launched thousands of missiles against Israel and tens of thousands of Israeli citizens have been forced to evacuate their homes in the north”. Furthermore, the embassy added, “unfortunately Hezbollah is trying to hide near the Unifil bases and Israel has already discovered tunnels and weapons caches near that area.”

For this reason, the note continued, “Israel has recommended several times to the Italian UNIFIL soldiers to withdraw part of their forces from the area for security reasons, but unfortunately the request was rejected”. Finally, he concludes, “Israel is investigating what happened with great attention and will continue to make every possible effort not to strike UN forces and people not involved in the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah”.

Use worry

The United States said it was “extremely concerned” by reports that Israeli forces had opened fire on UNIFIL positions, the UN peacekeeping forces present in southern Lebanon. At the same time, the United States is pressing Israel for details about what happened, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council in Washington said.

“We know that Israel is conducting targeted operations near the Blue Line to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure that could be used to threaten Israeli citizens. As they undertake these operations, it is critical that they do not threaten the safety and security of the Nations peacekeeping forces Unite,” the spokesperson said.

International condemnation

On the attack came the Italy’s formal protest and condemnation from the international community. The Italian Government – according to a note – has formally protested to the Israeli authorities and has firmly reiterated that what is happening near the base of the Unifil contingent is not acceptable. Also for this reason, the Government, through the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, summoned the Israeli ambassador to Italy.

“The hostile acts carried out and repeated by Israeli forces
could constitute a war crime and an unjustified violation of international law. The United Nations and Italy cannot take orders from Israel,” the Defense Minister said at a press conference at Palazzo Chigi.

France and Italy will bring together the European countries that contribute to Unifil following what happened, reported the Le Monde website, citing the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. The meeting, as stated on the website, will take place via videoconference and will be held next week on a date yet to be defined. Spain and Ireland are the other European contributors to Unifil.

The Spanish government also “strongly” condemned the attack. The Foreign Ministry in Madrid warned that these actions constitute a “very serious violation” of international humanitarian law. “The attacks against peacekeeping operations constitute a very serious violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council resolution 1701” which establishes the mandate of Unifil, underlined the Spanish government, which asked “the parties”, i.e. to Israel and Hezbollah, to “guarantee the safety” of the troops of the UN mission.