By Deng Ghai Deng
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized the urgent need to ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel and property, following recent attacks on UN positions in southern Lebanon that have injured peacekeepers.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the UN said its entrance door of a UN position was deliberately breached by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) armoured vehicles.
“The safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed, and the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times without qualification,” the statement reads in part. “UNIFIL continuously assesses and reviews all factors to determine its posture and presence.”
He said despite attacks that have hit United Nations positions, injuring a number of peacekeepers in the past several days, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers remain in all positions and the UN flag continues to fly.
“The mission is taking all possible measures to ensure the protection of its peacekeepers. UNIFIL’s role and its presence in southern Lebanon is mandated by the UN Security Council. In this context, UNIFIL is committed to preserving its capacity to support a diplomatic solution based on resolution 1701 (2006), which is the only possible way forward,” the statement read.
Guterres condemned the breach of a UN position by Israeli Defense Forces, asserting, that attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law, including international humanitarian law, and may constitute a war crime.
Guterres called for all parties to refrain from actions that jeopardize the safety of peacekeepers and reiterated the necessity for a cessation of hostilities and adherence to UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rejected the allegations by several European foreign ministers that Israel had targeted U.N. troops in Lebanon.
“The charge that Israel deliberately attacked UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] personnel is completely false. It’s exactly the opposite. Israel repeatedly asked UNIFIL to get out of harm’s way,” Netanyahu said in a video message.
His remarks followed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, in which they expressed “deep concern in the wake of recent attacks by [the Israel Defense Forces] on UNIFIL bases, which have left several peacekeepers injured.”
Separately, a commander of U.N. troops, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that U.N. forces remain in their positions in Lebanon despite calls from Israel for them to relocate amid escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, AFP reported.
“The decision was made that UNIFIL would currently stay in all its positions in spite of the calls that were made by the Israel Defense Forces to vacate the positions that are in the vicinity of the Blue Line,” he said.
Netanyahu said on Monday that Hezbollah “uses UNIFIL facilities and positions as cover while it attacks Israeli cities and communities. These attacks have claimed the lives of many Israelis.”
Israel, he added, “has every right to defend itself against Hezbollah and will continue to do so. We regret any harm done to UNIFIL personnel, and the IDF is doing its utmost to prevent such incidents.”