A Merkava tank opened fire “apparently deliberately” in the early hours of the morning near Kfar Kela, the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL said in a statement on Wednesday. There is currently no statement from Israel.
UN in Lebanon According to the soldiers, an Israeli tank fired at their observation tower. The Merkava tank opened fire early in the morning near Kfar Kela, the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL said in a statement on Wednesday. The tower was damaged and two cameras were also damaged. There was no initial statement from Israel.
“Once again we see a direct and apparently deliberate fire at a UNIFIL position,” the statement said. UN observers called on the Israeli military “and other actors” to fulfill their obligations and ensure the safety of UN personnel and assets. The inviolability of the United Nations and its assets must be respected.
Netanyahu has called for the withdrawal of UNIFIL troops
UNIFIL positions have also been attacked since Israeli ground operations began against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Five peacekeepers were injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the UN to withdraw UNIFIL troops from fighting areas in southern Lebanon. However, European troop contributors rejected the request after a joint video conference on Wednesday.
Defense Minister Claudia Tanner (ÖVP), who took part in the dialogue, said there was agreement among the 16 EU countries involved that “the work will continue”. “Withdrawal or failure to implement the mandate would call into question or undermine the meaning and importance of the United Nations. We cannot allow that, especially at this stage,” Tanner stressed. The ministers also agreed that attacks against UN soldiers would be considered a “violation of international humanitarian law.”
About 160 Austrian soldiers in Lebanon
About 160 Austrian soldiers are currently stationed in Lebanon. The European countries with the most involvement include Italy with 1,000 players, Spain with around 680 players and France with 670 players. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force, which has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978, has a total of more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians. After the 2006 Lebanon War, the UN Since Resolution 1701 passed by the Security Council, the mission of the Blue Helmets has expanded significantly. The resolution, among other things, requires only UNIFIL and Lebanese Army troops to be stationed along the border with Israel. Hezbollah was there regardless. Israel also violates Resolution 1701 with its military operations in southern Lebanon.
In an interview, Netanyahu said 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 militias “dug hundreds of tunnels and hideouts, where we found many sophisticated Russian weapons. How many Hezbollah rockets has UNIFIL defeated in nearly twenty years? Zero!” said the Prime Minister of Israel. (APA/Reuters)
