Beirut (TDI): European Union (EU) nations contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have condemned the recent attacks on the peacekeeping mission and agreed to exert diplomatic pressure on Israel to prevent further incidents.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during her visit to Lebanon on Friday, urged the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and called for all parties to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel.
“The targeting of UNIFIL is unacceptable,” she stated at a joint press conference with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Sixteen EU countries, including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Austria, and Greece, agreed to increase pressure on Israel following a videoconference led by Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu.
The countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining UNIFIL’s stability in the region, emphasizing that any changes to the mission’s future must be decided collectively by the United Nations.
In recent days, Israeli forces have launched multiple attacks on UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon, resulting in injuries to peacekeepers.
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The UN reported that UNIFIL bases have been targeted at least 20 times this month, despite Israel’s denial of deliberately attacking UN forces.
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stressed that no member state supports the withdrawal of UNIFIL forces.
“Such attacks are a grave violation of international law and must stop immediately,” Borrell said at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attacks in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging an immediate ceasefire to prevent further escalation.
Macron reiterated France’s commitment to preventing a regional conflict that could have dire consequences for international security.
Call for Immediate Halt to Attacks
A joint statement from the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom called for an immediate halt to the attacks.
“Any deliberate attack against UNIFIL is a violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement said, stressing that the protection of peacekeepers is the responsibility of all parties involved.
UNIFIL was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.
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It currently comprises approximately 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 countries.
The recent escalation follows Israeli military operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, with airstrikes intensifying since late September and ground operations beginning in early October.
 nations contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have...Read More){kind=link}